Spine Fusion options L5 S1

@mpietz11 I too want to welcome you to the Mayo Connect community. I have had direct experience with my L5-S1 for which I had a laminectomy Dec 2016. My surgery has been successful in relieving the pain on my right side. However, I continued with nearly debilitating pain on the right side of my back, hip, thigh, knee, ankle and toes. I couldn't go up or down steps & I couldn't walk without tremendous pain. My back surgeon encouraged me to look for relief from everything other than surgery. I tried acupuncture, massage, physical therapy and pills, but nothing worked. Then, on Mayo Connect, I read about ART, Active Release Technique therapy. I did research on Google and found a qualified chiropractor in my area. Within 2 months, using ART & laser treatments, my pain was minimal. I am currently without pain and have been this way for at least 6 months. I go once a month for tweeks to make sure everything is good.

I cannot imagine having 2 laminectomies and still being in pain. I recommend that you contact a Mayo site close to you for an examination. I have had direct experiences with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I know they are excellent and thorough diagnosticians and physicians. I talked briefly to someone in the research group that is looking at stem cell therapy. If you call them they will let you know how they work. The cost for most stem cell injection was about $7,000 - $12,000 when I asked about it a year ago. It's not covered by insurance.

One of the most important things in any surgery is the competence of the surgeon. I was lucky to have a nurse neighbor and she recommended a surgeon at St. Jude's Physicians near me. I always tell my friends to get recommendations for all health caretakers, online research about the physician and the hospital to assure you have excellent care.

I'm hoping others in our community will share their information with you, and you find some answers, or things to try.

Hi all, I have been in severe pain for over 8 years, 4 failed surgeries, one of those was a revision which was incredibly difficult. L4/5 is fused, L5/S1 was fused in 2019 when doctor found the disc torn in half. This fusion also failed with no bone growth and the hardware now loosening. I have degenerative disc disease and have no plans to have more surgeries. What I know now is avoid surgery at all cost. Success in resolving pain via surgery is a coin toss even if you have a successful osseous union. All surgeries done at high end hospitals with top tier surgeons. Fusion surgery is still in the dark ages. Electro-ceutical implants, stem cells, are probably the future but cost always comes into play for me, so I understand. I had to retire in Nov. 2020 because of all this mess. I have tried every treatment known to man except an implanted stimulator with zero positive results. Stim was ruled out for me by every doctor I have had. Pain is crippling...we can split an atom but we cannot find a non invasive solution to chronic back pain. Although expensive, stem cell still may be cheaper than the copays over time on other treatment. I Have over a $million dollars of insurance money into this....keep that in mind when making decision. Be well and take your time. Desperation has driven most of my decisions...which were wrong
2959 days of crippling pain and counting.

I am 78 years old. Recent MRI shows severe stenosis L1 through L5 both central and foraminal. There is conus and thecal sac compression from L1, L2 disc herniation.
There is also arachnoiditis at L3, L4 with nerve root clumping. My wonderful neurosurgeon recommends surgery which he honestly says is a 10 hour procedure with extreme pain to be expected. My question is has anyone my age had a surgery of this length? Also would like to know about experience with arachnoiditis which my surgeon says will continue to cause pain as surgery can’t help it.