Connect
MILD procedure scheduled. Comments, please?
My mom is 87 years old, and she has had Spinal Stenosis for years. Her MRI shows severe stenosis on L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5. It is now that she has become unable to walk without a cane and walker. She's much slower now and much more pain. Her doctor recommended the minimal invasive lumbar decompression (MILD) procedure to clear out the stenosis area. I'd like to know if anyone has had this procedure done. If so, how was recovery after procedure (quick and easy? long and hard?), and did the procedure work for you....a little, a lot? Please post your comments....she is presently scheduled for the procedure on May 23, 2024.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.
Connect
@jlssurplus I have severe stenosis and a slipped disc. My pain management doctor recommended this procedure but I declined. I did a lot of reading and both patients and doctors didn't have many positive things to say about it. The fact that it is least invasive is good for an 87 year old patient so recovery is easier. I need a fusion and laminectomy and the neurosurgeon said it would make his job "harder."
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@ou14mejc
Everybody's situation is different, so you just have to do as much research as you can.
At 87 a fusion is a tough recovery. My wife has had 6.
MILD a good choice for the right kind of problem, I think there are so many failures because it is hard to know where the pain is being generated from.
Imaging can only tell so much. My central canal was very narrowed and that was sucessfully opened up but. My nerves were also pinched at the foraman on both sides. Even though they look about the same the right is much more affected.
The surgeon told me straight up that I probably wouldn't get total relief as I have scoliosis from the discs deteriorating. I had hoped for more relief but happy I got some.
For me I had the surgery as a chance at relief with a low risk surgery, recovery was pretty quick and much better option than going straight to a fusion which have way more complications and failures.
Now my option is a fusion or a fusion. I am just finding ways to live with the pain until I can't.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions@jlssurplus Agree....We are all different and an experience for one person can be totally different for another. I'm glad you got relief for a time. I'm trying to avoid a fusion so I opted out of the MILD. I wish you the best, with a "pain free" future.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@jlssurplus Ditto
Can the MILD procedure for decompression of spinal stenosis be performed at 6-7 levels at one time?
Hi @gioanna - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You mentioned interest in whether the MILD procedure could be done at 6 to 7 levels at a time.
Will you share more about your background with this, such as when you were diagnosed and what symptoms you've faced so far?
Hi….I have retrolisthesis T12-S1; severe bilateral facet arthropathy L1-L5; thickening of ligamentum flavum L1-L5; disc desiccation L1- L5/S1; severe central stenosis L2-L5/S1; mod severe to severe foraminal stenosis L1-L5 bilat. Have lost 4 “ in height. As a teen also suffered compression fractures of T10 and T12 with wedging so I have significant kyphoscoliosis in the lower thoracic/upper lumbar spine. In 2018 it was recommended I have decompression lami T9-L5 with fusion at all those levels. But then had Medrol, retired from job as a PT (after 38 years!), took up swimming, lost 40 lbs and have done well for the past 8 years! But now I’m having periodic sacral pain and post thigh and lateral calf pain. Legs sometimes feel heavy and walking is sometimes awkward (similar to before my C4-7 decompression lami in 2009). My spine is a mess in other words!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction