Rt Leg Pain

@margiewoods51111 Hello and welcome to Connect. I understand your hesitation having just been through big spine surgeries. Was this something that was missed or was the surgeon was being conservative and avoiding adding more levels to the surgery you just had?

Foraminal stenosis is in the space between vertebrae where the nerve roots exit. There are surgical approaches that address that without removing the disc, but with a fusion present at the adjacent level, it may change what choices are right for you. The lumbar area is bearing most of your body weight. Are there any issues with bone quality? It depends how stable your spine is which will influence a surgeon’s opinion.

Have you considered getting another opinion from a surgeon at a different medical center ? I’m sorry you are in pain. That must be difficult.

Jennifer

Margiewoods 51111, remedy depends on what is causing the stenosis and how severe it is. There are minimally invasive surgeries laminectomy or microdiscectomy, nucleoplasty that might be advantageous especially with the increased stability below. If you don't have your MRI, it would be best to get it for the description of what is causing the narrowing. In some cases injections are appropriate.
You might want a second opinion.

Thank you for responding back. I do not want another fusion. I am falling in the 10% that the fusion is breaking down the level above or below. My MRI is showing Severe Rt foraminal narrowing with likely impingement of the exiting nerve roots. I don't want to live in pain. Is their another option beside fusion.

@margiewoods51111 I think another surgeon's opinion is needed to get an answer to your question. They can do a surgery to address the stenosis in the foramen without removing a disc. When you have a fusion it is because they have to put something into the space after they remove a disc which will bond the vertebrae together. You'll need to get a surgeon to answer that for you as to what is their recommendation. You can get different answers from different surgeons, so you may want to get several opinions. One question to ask is if a specific procedure can cause instability or a weakened area of the spine. That may be an issue if bone quality is weakened such as in osteoporosis.

Does your MRI show that the disc above the fusion is getting worse or is it just the stenosis in the foramen causing compression of the nerve that is causing the leg pain?

Jennifer

I have moderate to severe left and Rt foraminal narrowing at my L-2, L3 level also. So scared I am going to need another fusion.

@margiewoods51111 It's OK to be scared. Sometime you just need to take it one day at a time. Did you know that anxiety will increase the pain you have? I have been able to lessen pain by listening to relaxing music and doing deep slow breathing in time to the music. I get so relaxed, I can get lost in the music. You should try it. I was taking my blood pressure before and after, and I could drop it by 15 points. In doing this, you learn to control your response to pain or fear and feel much more confident. Also don't forget that you faced this challenge once before and that shows bravery. That is a big lesson I learned in going through spine surgery in learning to face and conquer my fear. You can do it!

Jennifer

See a pain specialist in a pain clinic. If you are near a university try their clinic. They are more familiar with minimally invasive possibilities than surgeons. Foraminal narrowing is narrowing in the joint at the side of the vetebral body. If the disc is so compressed or if the vertebra were collapsed you might be best with the surgery you don't want.
But it doesn't sound like that is what has happened. I'd guess that you lived with unstable spine for so long enough that you've developed bone spurs sometimes called osteophytes.
The pain nerve (medial branch nerve) can be numbed or ablated so that it doesn't carry pain signals. This outpatient procedure doesn't reduce function in any way. Bone spurs can be removed in a outpatient procedure. Keep posting, especially when are responses are unclear. From Cleveland CLinic
Foramen surgery. A foraminotomy is a surgery to widen the neural foramen. Foraminectomy is similar but also involves removing tissue from the surrounding area to widen the foramen.
Facet joint surgery. This typically involves facetectomy, removing an entire facet joint to relieve pressure on your spinal cord and spinal nerves.
Lamina surgery. Laminotomy involves removing a small section of bone and soft tissue from a vertebra that’s crowding or pressing on your spinal cord or spinal nerves. Laminectomy is removing a larger center section of the vertebra.
Bone spur removal. Removing bone spurs (osteophytes) can relieve pressure if they’re pressing on one or more spinal nerves.
Spinal cord stimulator. This involves implanting an electrical stimulator that connects to part of your spinal cord. The stimulator sends a mild electrical current to cells in your spinal cord. The current occupies the cells, keeping them from sending and relaying pain signals. A spinal cord stimulator can help if surgery doesn’t work or isn’t possible.

There are nerve stimulators that can be implanted which might be worth learning about. I, too, am fused from L2 to L5. Now I have significant pain from L5-S1 and from both S-I joints. Those are the only remaining areas that can move in my lower back. Find a neurosurgeon you trust and ask about a spinal nerve stimulator. I think it would be worth asking about. Good luck and I'm sorry you are in so much pain.

Th;ank you.

Thank you.