Anyone had multilevel cervical spine reconstruction surgery?

@steelme43
The scar I have on the front of my neck is barely visible. My skin is very fair, like red head skin.
I was surprised it wasn't painful. I dreaded the thought of it. Dr. Thanki told me the front is hollow, therefore you are not cutting muscle. Just a side note I followed what I was told to do, many want to rebel or think "nobody is going to tell me what to do". If you are not willing to tough it out, save everybody time and don't do the surgery. Was it a cakewalk? No, but at least with surgery I had the chance to feel better and lesson the pain. I meditated a lot before surgery, and I think it helped. Hang in there.

Hi Heather- I’ve had 2 cervical spinal fusions. The first was an anterior incision with a 3 level plate from C3-C6. After several years and many flights later, my C Spine had to be rebuilt. First they removed the Anterior plate, and loosely placed another one, then flipped over for the rest of my 360°. Posterior incision, had to hammer and chisel my C spine apart in 2 places, rebuild the posterior lordosis and place pedical screws and rods in the back, while periodically flipping me to tighten the front plate. 6:37 procedure. 2 ortho surgeons and a robotic arm. I was glad to have the collar, with all the physical trauma, scar tissue removal, and multiple incisions it hurt less. It eventually stopped all my cervical pain and I’m greatful I had it done.

@bilt4pain
Hi — thank you so much for taking the time to share this. That sounds like an incredibly intense journey and I really appreciate you being so honest about what it actually involved. It helps more than you probably realize to hear from someone who’s been through a multilevel reconstruction and come out the other side with relief. I’m still in the waiting game stage of weighing options and trying to understand what “realistic” outcomes look like, so hearing that it ultimately stopped your cervical pain gives me a lot of hope. Makes me wonder if I’m a candidate for ACDF (or posterior) to help me have more of a qualify of life. If a more invasive procedure such as yours for the lordosis would be needed down the road at least I know it would likely and successfully help for good.
That said, I’m really glad it helped you and that you’re doing better now. Thanks again for sharing your experience and photos, wow!

Hi Heather- unfortunately my life for the last 20 years has been an incredibly intense, painful and yet humbling experience. Like you, I sought advice from others and was grateful to get a response. There was a time I couldn’t talk about it. But you can’t stay in denial to long, because things like nerves that caused my toe drop when walking, if not fixed would become permanent, and could have confined me to a wheelchair. I’m glad you found comfort and future positivity from my words. I want to complete the picture of my overall experience. While my C spine was a success, I had the same procedure on my lumbar and thoracic spine, that didn’t have the same result. While the mechanical problem was fixed, recreating lumbar lordosis and eliminating my thoracic kyphosis (hunchback) I ended up with Failed back surgery syndrome(FBSS) of both the T & L spine. And now live in chronic pain with a morphine pump. But the pump is a lifesaver too.

@bilt4pain

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me. I appreciate your honesty and your willingness to give the full picture, even when it’s not an easy one to tell. What you’ve endured over the years sounds incredibly heavy, and I’m sorry that your journey has involved so much pain and loss of quality of life.

Hearing both the success of your cervical surgery and the complications that followed elsewhere is sobering, but also helpful as I try to make informed decisions rather than operate from denial or fear alone. I respect the strength it takes to keep going, especially living with chronic pain, and I’m glad you’ve found some relief with the pump, even if it came after so much hardship.

Thank you again for your openness and for sharing your experience so thoughtfully—it truly means a lot to me as I navigate what comes next.

@steelme43 I do believe in transparency. And felt that my cervical success was just one part of the story. And as you navigate your future health care please reach out and ask me anything. Ive probably had it done. Total hip replacement, knee replacement, SI fusion, Pleural Effusion, Apnea surgery(failed), 2 SCS, and 2 morphine pumps, 100’s of nerve blocks
(transforaminal & caudal), steroid injections, trigger point and piriformis injections, RFA’s(radio frequency ablations) and my tonsils out at 5. I can’t take credit for all the strength it took to keep going. My family, friends and my best 4 legged friend Max, were a constant source of support. However, the first ten years, suicidal ideations were a permanent part of my thinking. I never attempted it, but it was like knowing there was a back door if I really needed it. Gods love kept me alive.