← Return to Failed ACDF Surgery

Discussion
gingert24 avatar

Failed ACDF Surgery

Chronic Pain | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (19)

Comment receiving replies
Profile picture for mariann0007 @mariann0007

I am living in so much pain from an ACDF surgery of many years ago. It has caused adjacent segment disease above the fusion the C 4/C5. I also have much pain at the C7 T1 area C8 nerve showing Radiculopathy there. A local neurosurgeon said he could do a micro dissection for me at the c4/5 area for the severe Canal narrowing but I think I need this hardware out or maybe just the bottom portion of it shaved down if that is possible. I have so much pain affecting my quality of life. Don’t know where to begin to look for a surgeon that can address this.

Jump to this post


Replies to "I am living in so much pain from an ACDF surgery of many years ago. It..."

@mariann0007 I fell 6 months after having major lumbar surgery for spinal stenosis causing a compression fracture adjacent to the operated section. The pain was quickly excruciating to the point that I heavily increased my normal oxycodone dosage-all to no avail. Realizing this was not very smart (I was desperate) I called an ambulance and went to the ER. The EMT said my pupils "looked like dots" and put me on oxygen en route. In the ER they infused me with some of the drugs they use in the surgery "cocktail" according to the attending nurse. The effect was immediate and wonderful-it felt like a terrible weight had been lifted. I was there over night for observation, but that terrible pain never returned and the pain that remained was controlled by oral narcotics until healing made them no longer needed. What I am saying is that that type of pain can be more deleterious then the original problem and unless dealt properly with greatly reduces or even makes impossible any progress. With me and some others I have discussed this with once that cycle of pain is stopped, even temporarily, it seems to have a tendency to diminish to the point of being successfully treated by more conventional dosing. This is all empirical-just my experience-but that is how it has worked for me. Maybe something to think about