Suggest Ways To Manage Pain After Surgery For Fractured Spine

Posted on Fri, 8 Jul 2016

Question: es, April 18 of this year I had back surgery for spinal fractures that I had been dealing with for over 19 months. In Oct of 2014 I fell/fainted and fractured my spine and the doctors at the emergency room X-ray my head and sent me home to rest for six weeks. The they started me on Fentayl patches and hydrocodone for 19 months. They said to lose weight. I lost 50 pounds. Went back to doctor and he completed surgery on my L2-5, putting in two titanium pieces and a plith on the other two. After surgery I experienced great pain in my left leg. I am still in pain. I was in pain 9 days after surgery. Now it is barely contained with five different drugs and I am so stiff that I look like a drunk staggering around. My doctor had me do another MRI and he says that his work (the Back ) is fine. My muscles all up and down my back are tense and ache. I am back on Fentyl and taking hydrocodone to boot! Help me

Answered by Dr. Bruno Mascarenhas (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
CT Scan with 3D Reconstruction is needed to Find Canal / Foramen Narrowing

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Welcome to HealthCareMagic.com I am Dr.J XXXXXXX Anto Bruno Mascarenhas, and I am here to help you. I have read your question with care and understand that you had a fracture Spine and subsequently underwent surgery.

After Surgery, you "experienced great pain in left leg. You are still in pain. You were in pain 9 days after surgery. Now it is barely contained with five different drugs and you are so stiff that you look like a drunk staggering around"

You have undergone a MRI and your doctor says that the back is fine.

One of the common causes of pain which you have described above is the implant slipping a bit and compressing a nerve root (or multiple roots) by narrowing the canal or foramina or both.

We need to do a High Resolution CT Scan of LS Spine with 3D Reconstruction to look at the exact position of the implants and whether there is any canal compromise. If there is a narrowing of roots, you need to undergo another surgery

If there is not mechanical compression on the nerve roots, then the cause of pain would be arachnoiditis which can be cured with drugs alone

Hope you found the answer helpful.

If you need any clarification / have doubts / have additional questions / have follow up questions, then please do not hesitate in asking again. I will be happy to answer your questions.

Best Wishes for Speedy Recovery
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.

-oOo-

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D