Has anyone had laminectomy then needed spinal fusion?

The laminectomy left your spine unstable. I have hope that you will find relief with the fusion. If there is time for a third opinion before the surgery, you might consider.

I am scheduled for a laminectomy mid-May. Originally my surgeon was also going to do a spinal fusion as well. Now he says we should just do the former. He says that there is a fair chance I will still need the fusion, but there is a chance that I may not? I guess I am relieved, it will be a much less invasive treatment, and faster healing time, butI have a feeling I will need the additional surgery down the road.

I feel comfortable with the surgery plan. Have you had instability after a laminectimy? The nerve pain is absoloutely excruciating! I am hopeful that fusion will be the solution.

pattyo1,
fusion will solve the instability. I only know from friends how excruciating the pain is from the bones rubbing over the nerves.
There isn't always a good way of knowing if laminectomy will sustain stability. I hope you'll be posting soon about easy recovery and no pain.

Thank you! I am hopeful!

I’m not an advocate for spinal fusion. If you fuse L3 and L4 you are now placing added stress on the above and below the fused level. Eventually requiring a fusion of L2 & L3 or L4 & L5. This will continue to add more stress requiring more fusions.

Do laminectomy always result in a lot of pain? I thought that was why I was getting the procedure! The pain in my left hip, left leg and lower back are unbearable...

I did not have pain from the laminectomy. Initially following surgery my pain symptoms were completely relieved. However, about 10 weeks after surgery I began having pain which has increased and is why I am now having fusion.

The surgeon who did my laminectomy wanted to avoid fusion. Because of the severity of my stenosis the laminectomy required multilevel decompressions which created instability. No blame. I just wonder if fusion would have saved me this horrible level of pain and the need for a 2nd surgery. I had symptoms beginning before my final postop appointment.

I had surgery in January 2016. My surgeon did a microdiscectomy, a foramenotomy, and a facetectomy. Been pain free until last year. Now they tell me I need a fusion. Not something I want. Now I’m considering a TOPS procedure.