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7mm spinal cord stenosis

Posted by sb4ca @sb4ca, Oct 8, 2022

I had an ACDF for C5-7 in March of this year. Exactly a month later I needed revision surgery because a screw was out of place. The day after I was discharged I learned I had both MRSA and regular staff infection within the bone which required a PICC line and 6 weeks of IV antibiotics. Early September I had a big increase in neck pain which my primary was concerned about MRSA coming back. My surgeon just ordered an MRI and CT. The MRI report has now come back and I have severe cord compression causing central canal cord compression to an estimated 7mm. I also am showing new bone marrow edema at the offending C3-4. This on top of advanced neural foraminal stenosis, advanced hypertrophy including the liagentum flavum and large bone spurs. This is almost entirely new from the MRI just prior to my surgery. My surgeon said this is extremely rare as usually its years before the discs right before and after the fusion are affected. Not skipping a disc altogether. Has anyone experienced something like this so soon after surgery? I mean how does this even happen???

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Feb 28, 2023
In reply to @ambermsmith1986 "I have the same thing happened to me my body has completely fused all the way..." + (show)
@ambermsmith1986

I have the same thing happened to me my body has completely fused all the way around the disc but I am being told that and is not possible to have in a reaction to these implants because they are Cobalt chromium although they do contain nickel and other Trace metal alloys they don't mention that though. The surgeon also told me that there are no allergy receptors in your spinal canal therefore although I have metal allergies it's not possible to have a metal allergic reaction to an implanted device because those receptors are only found on the skin. I know all of that information is inaccurate the community here is so small that all of the surgeons know each other although I refuse to speak bad about the surgeon and I will not even mention his name I tell them it's not important because I do not want anybody to assume that I am stating he was a bad surgeon or did a bad job therefore I just don't say his name but it hasn't helped me at all I have literally deteriorated my spine is now collapsing on top of each other and deteriorating that was 34 years old when I fell and I had an amazing life now I can't even work and I've lost my home and I can't get these people to understand that I need this disc removed immediately I've been fired by almost every one of my providers and nobody helps me these implant should be illegal..

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@ambermsmith1986 I certainly would encourage you to get another opinion elsewhere and not in the same area where you live where other surgeons see the records. Can you come to Mayo for an opinion? I say that as a patient who has been there, and I don't work for Mayo.

Your imaging seems to indicate failure of your Mobi C artificial disc, but as I am not a medical professional, I can not diagnose that, but I can see that the two parts of the device do not match up with each other. It may be possible to have a revision surgery, remove this device, and fuse this level instead. When I had a spinal fusion at Mayo, it was only with a donor bone disc and no hardware and 3 months in a neck brace because I was worried about an immune reaction, and I had previously had many problems with allergies to metals in earrings.

I know you had a question about metal allergy or sensitivity as well. I can tell you from my experience of breaking my ankle and living with titanium (which isn't pure) inside my body, I had a reaction to it, and I also had metals in dental work that were affecting my health, causing inflammation and exacerbation of my asthma. I only know this because of my improvement each time when these were removed from my body.

You also may want to look at the website for a pioneer in the field of environmental allergies. They treat patients with immune responses to orthopedic implants. https://www.ehcd.com/
I did have blood tests for implant material sensitivities before my spine surgery, and none were reported, but those can develop after a period of time of exposure. With my ankle it was at 6 months past my surgery that I started getting huge patches of hives on my body and it happened every time I stopped taking an antihistamine. I had to stay on them. After I had the titanium hardware removed, I returned to better health , improved asthma, and no more chronic hives.

Have you thought about coming to Mayo? Do you have insurance that would be accepted there? I am sorry you are going through all these functional problems and to be badly treated by your surgeon as well. That is a typical response when they make a mistake and don't want to own that mistake. It may not be his fault that your implant has a failure, but he seems more concerned about his reputation and getting rid of a problem instead of addressing it. I was treated like that once by a hand surgeon who missed that I had thoracic outlet syndrome (nerve compression in shoulder) and I still had symptoms after carpal tunnel surgery and he blamed me, called me a malingerer, and wouldn't have anything more to do with me. Very unprofessional. You deserve better, and another chance to fix this with a better more knowledgeable surgeon.

Do you have a good medical center in mind where you can go for an opinion?

REPLY
tyyne21wigwam | @tyyne21wigwam | Feb 28, 2023

You deserve a medal. For going through this!

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