Dear sir, I had an instrumented anterior cervical discectomy & fusion of c3/4, c4/5 back in 2004. Examination Findings: Plain x-rays and the MRI scan of the cervical spine show an large osteophytic disc prolapse at C3/4 causing cord compression & associated with signal change within the cord. There is reversal of lordosis at this level with some CSF present behind the cord. At C4/5 there is also an osteohytic disc prolapse causing canal stenosis and complete vaffacement bof the subarachnoid space but no compression as such. There are also degenerative changes at C5/6 but not at C6/7. In extension there are 2-3mm of retro-listhesis at C3/4 & C4/5 presumably due to ligamentous laxity associated with a mark loss of disc height at those two levels. I was advised to under go surgery to decompress the canal & remove the threat to my spinal cord. It was explained to me that the main aim of this procedure is to prevent further deficits & that improvement of the current deficits cannot be guaranteed. The operation was accomplished by an anterior approach, but the sergion did not think that i was a particularly good candidate for cervical disc replacement in view of the marked loss of disc height and mild instability in extension. I was given a C3/4 and C4/5 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using iliac crest bone graft and an anterior cervical plate. I was told the risks of this procedure, including the small risk of injury to the spinal cord, & the risk of pseudarthrosis, infection, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, carotid and oesophagus injury & cardio-pulmonary complications. It was discussed that there is a risk of developing further degenerative changes at C5/6 level. Cervical disc replacement could perhaps be considered at this level if surgery is required in the future. Prognosis: The aim of this procedure is to prevent the development of further neurological deficit. There maybe some improvement in my current symptoms is possible, but a complete recovery is very unlikely. I had the procedure done at the end of 2004.. Things haven t been too bad with continual pain relief, but have always have had continual server pins and needles in my hands legs & feet. With continual server neck pain & continual head pain. The pain I am now getting goes from my neck down to my lower back and with me 24/7. I am unable to walk any distance with out server pain going down my legs, its getting Very stressful as I cant get the A.C.C to refer me to a specialist to see if there is something that needs to be done to make my life liveable. They say that my condition has not deteriated since my operation. I know in with the amount of pain and lack of sleep i get, my condition is very bad that just a simple walk to the local shops is so painful bringing me to tears.. Putting a long story \, what does one have to do to get further assistance from our so called medical a.c.c. I desperatley need expert help from a specialist but can t seem to get it.. As i said to my A.c.c case manager when he called the other day saying that they will be rejecting my application for there support/payments that I did once get.. I might as well be in a wooden box & won t have to suffer 24hrs a day seven days a week, year after year after year. Hope you may be able to put me in the right dirrection, as this medical stuff is over my head Regards Ian Rosevear... I m on a very limited income so maybe able to pay any free at the present time... but I do need help and assistance asap