cervical disectomy fusion c4-5, c 5-6, severe cervical arthr

owildstallion wrote:

dfindlay wrote:

Hi, I had a one level fusion C 5-6 in October of 2007. About a yr ago I started having a similar pain in my left side so I went to an Orthopedic spine specialist to find out my C-4 is now needing a fusion. so I chose to have the surgery to replace the plates in c 5-6 and do a two level fusion c-4 to c-6. Surgery went well however at my first pro-op appointment the Dr noticed a broken screw. The screw was broke at the head of the screw. The Dr blamed me for not wearing my brace and said it was something I did. Well I chose to get a second opinion from another specialist. The new Dr said there is no way I could have the strengh to break a titanium screw.. Especially with my neck!! He then took new x-rays to find out how bad the break is and in doing that noticed the head of the screw is missing. Next week I have a ct scan to find the missing screw head!! Does anyone know who is liable for this?? why should I be dealing with this and going through another surgery to fix the problem is something I am not looking forward to. So far the answers I get are.. Its not the Dr's fault unless he knew the screw could be defective or possibly a product liabilty case. My insurance paid a lot of money for this procedure and I was out of work for 4 weeks. what a nightmare to do it all over again.. Any advice??

I had my Cervical Spine Surgery at c4/5 in 2001 From a work injury and about six month from that. I was in more pain then before i had the surgery.I keep complaining and telling my Dr . I feel something in the back of my throat and it feels like the screw was poking me. He said i was crazy and that there is no way i could feel that. So he released me and i went another NEUROSURGEON . When i told him he laugh and said, well lets do another MRI and see whats going on. When we got the MRI back. He said well you are not faking it. It is broke at C4/5 We had to go back in and take it back out and skip down and fuse C6/7 to. This was in 2006.. Now in 2011I have to back for my 3rd surgery and remove c4/5 c6/7 again cause he skipped C5/ 6 and fuse all three together. I could feel the broken screw when i push in on my throat. I am waiting now for for them to reschedule my third surgery

i had the surgury about 10 yrs ago and now my screw is backing out iy is so painful as if i never had the surgury

The first indicationI had was when I spit up a screw while driving to the ER. My face and neck had swollen and i was in pain for 3 months before the surgeon agreed to go in and found that the plate and four screws had either dislodged or loosened. The PLATE HAD CRACKED IN HALF. My loss resulted in job loss, health losss, nerve damage and permanent loss of quality of life. My name is Don. My doctor's name was Seybold at Orthopedic Assc. in Binghamton. He told me there were 5-6 others with similar to same consequences. Who is your manufacurer? How can we talk?

I would like to know how ur doing now? I had c5/6 fused in Dec 2009 and my hands are going numb, pain down my right arm, tingling in hands, weakness in hands, burning, stiffness of neck and have been to see a neurologist. He has done the nerve testing and can't see why I'm having these issues. I am very frustrated. He told me I may have to go see my neck surgeon. I do not want to go through surgery again. I refuse to take pain meds and have been on diff nerve medications but so far nothing is working. Living with this pain daily is affecting not only me but my family. Any helpful words of advice?

I had a 3 level fusion on September 4, 2012. Six screw holes on would not hold a screw , one went in to the vertebra straight and the other screws went into the area between my vertebra and the cadaver bone. A crappy job if ever there was one.

Richard

SURGERY AT HSS IN NYC

I am getting ready to have surgery. I am very scared. I am intelligent have a career and am strong like you. I'm trying not to be afraid and have dealt with pain for along time. I know that there will always be pain but that maybe it can be different kind with surgery.....? I felt better reading your blog/post and thank you as I am scared. I have been through alot of health issues but always continue to work and try to be active and creative. Thank you for making me feel better.

I had a fusion 4 years ago of c5,6 and 7. I was hit from behind three years later. Now Dr. says I have scar tissue and I am in a lot of pain. Dr. says I have to live with it. I am 40. Legs go numb, arm and pain all down left side. Where did you have the surgery and how long before you found someone to help you? Pain meds I can't take...make my personality terrible and still feel bad. I am seeing someone at Kaiser in Portland Ore and they are the ones that said live with it. thaanks don

Wow! You are some lucky individual! You neglected to say what type of surgen you used, but I guess it was a Neurosurgeon! Mine was done by a Orthapedic surgeon, who failed miserably. In fact, he took my life away from me, my children and my loyal husband. While your story has a happy ending, mine doesn't. It never ends, every waking hour of every day is consumed with terrible pain. You left some details out in your story as to what caused the injury in your neck to begin with? You say "age 17", but you don't elorbreate on the details of your pain, was it an injury? Mine was, a work related injury, I was 35 years old and in perfect health. In fact I had been an athlete, dancer, blcak belt in Karate, you get my drift. I fell and herniated disc's3-4 5-6, with spinal steonis pushiong my spinal cord together, I had to have surgery, but it did hurt and I felt those "electric" shocks like crazy! I felt like someone had screwed my head on too tight, even pushing into my body. Of course the original diagnosis was,"NO HERNIATED DISCS". This was from my W.C. Orthapedian, who only wanted to do one level and go back a year later and do the second level.Sounds a little"fishy" right? Although I had 3 other I.M.E,'s, which all agreed the levels must be fused together at the same time. These were all from Neurosurgeons to my little ole Orthaepidic doctor, who had never done anything even close to this specialized operation, calmly agreed both levels must be done at the same time.. As I happily went into surgery, thinking I would be well soon, never realized it was a dream, and the reality was the Orthaepedic surgeon had screwed the distAL SCREW, THE FINAL SCREW TO HOLD THE APPARETIS IN PLACE! I'm sorry the caps were an accident, just like my failed surgery. I, luckly, moved to Hawaii while I was still under doctors orders, he had reported a success and I would be 100% in a week!. After I luckily moved to Hawaii, it was very hard to get me there, I had to stop at an Emergency room on the way, who gave me an X-Ray of the offending area. Hawaii, finally, pain is unbearable! My husband thinks I am exaurating the pain, which enticed me to l;ook up a random Neurosergeon out of the yellow pages. After a swift appointment was made, the doctor looked at the small X-ray provided by the hospital I had went to on the way, immediatly, he was shocked! I was scared, "What is it?" "The surgeon has transgressed the screw and has entered the spinal canal, so the entire apparatis was moving, injuring nerves, one was my bladder, making me unable to urinate on my own, Then the PAIN. It ws tormenting me day and night, althought the doctor had given me anti-inflamitories and narcotics. The snowball tumbled down the mountain, into what was to become of me. Another Neurosergeon begged to have surgery immediatly, or there would be more nerve damage. His writings went uin answered, until finally they approved a Laminoctomy, the slightest surgery my doctor could preform. Then the next one to remove the offending apparatis that had been put in wrong! Fast forward to today. I can only take small steps, then sit. a "frame". The end of my story is not they all lived happily after. In and out of the hospital, when the neck and back now, would be intolerable. Lazer surgery on my bladder, now I have mastered a catherter! No need to carry my urine in a bag with me! Permanant Total Disability, farewell, dreams of growing old with my husband, skiing, hiking, you name it, I could do it! Gone....in...a .....flash. Now I am a member of a club I Never wanted to join, Chronic Pain and Depression club! Throw in foot surgeries and the pain machine they implanted in 2009. Pain, always there. So, that is my story. Handicapped,and in Pain for the rest of my living days. How do I ever escape? They shoot horses, don't they?

Your lucky, just 6 months after surgery, the screw at t1 is broken, and I cant find a doctor who will go back in and fix it, and the doctor and his company that did the surgery, say its fine and it wont hurt me????really???? I have talked to 3 other surgeons in Phoenix and they also refuse to " fix another doctors mess" I would never have had this done, if I knew that they wouldnt fix their own work, nor could I find someone who will touch me...

I had C-5&6, ~6&7 surgery in January 2009 and after tons of therapy, tests, etc.
I have given up hope of ever fully recuperating from this surgery.
The back of my neck is so sensitive I cannot stand for anyone to rub my neck. I still have problems sleeping and wake up with body stiff and asleep. To even get to sleep often times takes me an hours or so. Tossing and turning trying to find that "just right" position that doesn't hurt. In the last several months though I have found I can lay on my back longer with a toweled rolled up and positioned under my neck that's a big plus.
Cannot do any physical activities (standing, bending, lifting, reading, writing, etc) for any length of time.
I have been diagnosed fibromyalgia, Vit D defeciency. I feel like I've had fibro for a long time before having surgery that
This isn't a pleasant thing! It's been a few years now and I'm starting to have problems again with the headaches, both my l&r arms are staring to bother me bad again like going numb,tingling feeling again and I'm just 45 years old and I don't know what to do anymore.

I'm so sorry for your misery. I too had those levels done with a double level fusion with plating. The distal screw transgressed the plate and went into my spinal cord. Medtronics Pain Pump is the only way to go. Ask for Fentenal to be used. Good luck, my friend~

Hi, tried calling your # without success. Just discovered I have 2 broken screws in my neck from cervical fusion surgery.
Have you had success in finding out who made the screws and who is responsible for all these failed hardware issues?
Thanks, Don 

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I also have 2 broken screws, broke about mid screw... 2 out of 8, the top two. wondering if anyone has heard of any class action suit yet.

I had a fusion in 1995, and upon my first check up after surgery one of the screw heads is broke off and laying aside the fusion---NO-ONE ever said I need to worry or have anything more done. Now all the years later I have continual numbness, and pain.

I had cervical lam fusion on 8/31/2012 - and on 1st post-op visit to doc discovered one rod broke away from
the bottom screw. Am still having stiffness and pain and need to wear my soft collar for support. Have a call
in to doc to get an cortisone injection in neck to relieve pain. Would not have the surgery again! Most painful
thing have ever gone through - they put me on oxycodone...hallucinatory...awful!!! Good luck

who was your surgeon they want to do a 5 level laminectomy c3-t1 with 4 leveld fused posteriorly