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Anyone had spine surgery who has osteopenia or osteoporosis?
Spine Health | Last Active: Feb 25, 2024 | Replies (46)Comment receiving replies
@bayhorse
Hello well thank you but they all say they know what they're doing with osteoporitic patients none of them are going to admit that it puts me at high risk. At least here in New York. They just say they can do it as long as I'm on the bone building medication and that they're going to use the cement augmented screws. You can't get an answer about how many patients they have had failures with. I had a failure with this one surgeon not with fusion but with just a laminotomy which caused a Pas fracture and made my come back. He said he would do a fusion now with the augmented screws but it took him 2 years to admit that he had caused the Pars fracture. I am struggling because I am in pain but I don't know if I should trust him. I know there's plenty of other surgeons and good ones out there. I'm going to get another dexa scan which he doesn't even require before surgery.
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@annie1 You have my sympathy. And while I certainly couldn't tell you what to do, it does sound as if you need to go for a second opinion, and maybe a third and a fourth, just to meet some other surgeons and get a feel for them and see if they can answer questions that this guy hasn't answered. You are entitled to a choice of doctor, and certainly you are entitled to one you trust. Is there someone in your area who has a reputation for being the doc who fixes others' mistakes? Or who is the go-to guy for osteoporotic patients? Can any tell you how many osteoporotic patients they've fused? I am having the same trouble finding the "right" surgeon and getting answers -- it is a very laborious process! And I know it's hard to persist because of the pain. But I figure we all should go into surgery feeling good about the guys who are going to cut us up and, hopefully, put us back together in a better fashion!
I am in Texas, which is no help to you. But my family wants me to come back East for surgery and suggests the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Perhaps that would be a resource for you. Meantime, fingers crossed for both of us.