Connect
← Return to Laminectomy cervical, with fusion and Instrumentation , 1-4 levels
Discussion
Laminectomy cervical, with fusion and Instrumentation , 1-4 levels
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Jul 22 9:49am | Replies (25)Comment receiving replies
HI- Warm wishes from Chicago-feeling your concerns. Simlar situation- My posterior with laminectomies and laminotomies with fixation using rods and screws AND anything else that may be needed is sch for 8/4/ I am terrified. # other surgeons all had varying degrees to work on from C3-C7. One suggests a ACDF w C5-6 corpectomy. Another says ACDF C4-7. One says ACDF C5-7. I have been dealing with recurrant so had postponement on ACDF. Now been postponed due to UTI's and every 3 months now EGD's with Dilations. Since i already have issues with swallowing and Esophageal Lichen Planus, I agreed to Posterior but this is the hardest one to work through- longer on table, longer in hospital, longer recovery, much more pain overall. Absolutely petrified. Told by my gastro that yes, anterior plating can affect swallowing but not severely, to the point of a feeding tube. Just feeling like can't swallow completely. I already have that so how much worse can it get? These UTI's can interfere with fusing- and told I have colonized MRSA, and now maybe even colonized Pseudonoma Klebsiella. I am allergic to a great number of antibiotics. Have bilateral hips and knees. Filled with inflammation and arthritis, T2 Diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis and pseudo gout. At 72 wondering - is it worth it.. to go through all that pain.. chances are pretty slim I'd be paralyzed yet that is the big push they all use. Starting to wonder how true that really is, and what are the chances?
Replies to "HI- Warm wishes from Chicago-feeling your concerns. Simlar situation- My posterior with laminectomies and laminotomies with..."
Connect
@chrisanon You do have a lot of concerns. Do you think those issues have been addressed properly by the surgical team? Infection is a big risk after surgery. I had a lung infection 5 days after my surgery because I wasn't clearing phlegm well enough due to a physical problem that I have, and I needed to be on antibiotics. Being under general anesthesia slows things down and causes more phlegm in your lungs that needs to be cleared. I also had done Mupiroicin ointment inside my nose to prevent a staff infection as directed by the surgeon. If you have spinal cord compression or instability in the spine, it does increase risk of paralysis if an injury should happen in addition to that condition.
As for swallowing issues with ACDF, I can tell that I do not have as strong of a gag reflex on the side that was the surgical path, and I can choke more easily with swallowing, but I can swallow just fine. I do not have any spine hardware and no metal plate. I stayed in a neck brace 3 months until fused. I did recently stretch out the surgical scar tissue which helped me have better sensitivity in my throat which improved it a bit. My ACDF surgery was 8 years ago.
Do you have concerns and questions you need answered by your surgeon before your surgery?