Unintentional Cracking 2 yrs after cervical spine fusion ant

I have had similar issues to many of the other posts. I had 2 surgeries 6 years ago, a laminectoy which caused significant spinal compression, followed by a discectomy with fusion on C4-5. 3 years later after a lot more pain & numbness, I had a multilevel discectomy with fusion C3-4, 4-5, 5-6 & 6-7, there were complications fromt his surgery, but after recovery I still experienced pain and numbness, bc6-7 ut now after 3 more years I heard a crack one night and had extreme pain, after a lot of aggravation, found that the fusion had failed at C6-7, and surgical screws were loosened. Now I am having additional surgery to remove failing hardware and repair fusion, possibly some type of additional reinforcement will be necessary.

My questions is has anyone else had surgical screws come loose? Is anyone aware of any class action law suits with defective surgical ascrews used in cervical spine surgery?

Hi cfab, I definitely think you may have a case there as surgical screws are definitely not meant to come loose! I do not know if there's a class action suit because that may not be the fault of the manufacturer--it sounds a lot more like it might be malpractice instead. Have you contacted a lawyer? How are you doing now?

Yes. I have heard of people's screws coming lose or breaking. There should be class action law suits for this happening against the manufactorer. I don't really know if it is the fault of the surgeons unless he put them in incorrectly even then I'm sure there is some sort of hidden wording in the medical papers you signed to have the surgery to protect the surgeon.
I had an experience with recalled graft after my surgery. If you live in the US you can get lot numbers from every peice of hardware and grafts used in your body. I had to contact medical records at the hospital where I had the procedure done.
After you get the lot or serial numbers do a search on the manufactorer's web site then check for all recalled parts. If there is a list of recalled parts you can either call them to inquire if your number is on their list or often times they will actually list them on their web site.
They do not make this easy to find (on web site) so you have to do some searching.
Hope this helps.
It's awful what you have had to endure.
Best of luck.

I hadn't considered tha tit would also be the fault of the manufacturer, but you make a good point. in that case, I would say that a consultant by an unbiased third party would help you to determine how you're doing and where the fault lies. My suspicion is the surgery but as KariB said if it is the manufacturer, at least you can determine wehre to take legal action.

I had that crackling grinding sounds in my neck for years before surgery, they always said it was nothing. But one family dr did give me a cortizone shot in neck and he felt it and said"there is something real wrong here" he did not say much more. I aaked him what the crackling noise was he said"probably bone hitting against bone. Well ya that made me feel great. The sounds stopped for over six months after cervical spine fusion. then they started up again. I even had the nurse take her stethopscope and listen. She said" Oh that and kind of laughed" REally I was not feeing much like laughing. It has still been the same for over three years now.After the surgery my Doc had me do exrays all the time. finally the the doing the exrays said" I am not going to take that third one this radiation is pointing directly at your throid gland. Now who knows nothing works. I am in pain and do not trust the docs to do anything right. I think I have perm nerve damage in both my back and neck. and maybe I will just have to learn to live with it. I hate it when others say" Oh I have pain too, just get up and work anyhow" they do not know what real pain is especaily nerve pain. my left hand is numb and I am to lazy to go back and correct typos. I do not really feel the keys anymore when I type

what ever happened ? i have loose screws now, 4-3-12. suddenly, 2 months after surgery, i have pain and symptoms as pre-surgery.

Hi, we have identical cspine trauma/surgical history! I'm 6 mo plot from an ACDF @C5-C6 + have constant loud cracking/popping in cspine since being out of my neck brace 1 mo after surgery. It does feel as if the popping is vertical + occurring above anterior plate. It's not painful, yet I too am experiencing burning pain in my neck muscles followed by headaches. Also, age 44, + 3 yrs post-op from posterior fusion @C2-C5 w/titanium hdwre. Great fusion, results + pain free + asymptomatic! Donor bone used in both surgeries. My concern is the popping in my cspine that began 1 mo after this recent ACDF @C5-C6 + am here seeking answers. One theory of mine, physics based: Opposing forces @work? Since the popping occurs during vertical/flexion mvmnt + feels above anterior plate, there may be pressure being forced from back to front + vice-versa. No popping w/lateral mvmnt, just grinding w/turning head side to side. What are we to do? X-rays 3mo post-op present hdwre intact/normal bone growth. Since U have indicated
popping in cspine 2 yrs post-op, Yikes! Help us, anyone?

I saw on TV an ad for complications after cervical bone fusion. Can you please explain the types of problems that were described in this brief TV ad?

I had my titanuim screw neck fusion surgery in 1o-1-2008, It had caused me to have severe headaches, dizziness, cracking,sometimes I fill so fatigue. I can't vaccum, I can't lift no heavy object. I got married on 10-3-11 My husband is such a kind man, he don't try to force himself on me, when it comes to making love. It is so much pain for get the sex. I can't bare the neck pain.And he knows this. So the pain you are describing is not your imagination. Sometime I can't sleep. I need a special mattress just for my neck and back. And I can't wear no certain shoes for a long period of time. No, heels. I can't walk to far, nor stand a long time, nor sit for a long time. I don't know if there is a recall on this object in our body I hope it will be one very SOON> If you find out befoe I do please let me know. Thank you and please take care.

I' responding to your write up >>> I also had that same surgery and have a lot of pain as well

I can feel the plate and yes mine is loose . And yes I do have a lot of cracking or clicking and a crushin sound

When I feel the plate I can feel a shiftin or moving and it feels like my neck is swollen and feel like my throat is tight

I do not wish to go back to my surgeon becuse I think he has a problem with color. I went back to him one time to let

him know that my pcp said my screws were loose , so he had x rays done didn't prove anything , mentaly I know my pain

is real , my neck hurts all the time  I have pressure in my head and my balance is off and I have a lot of head pain  like labor

pains . The meds don't work and Iover dose just to be able the pain. I also deal with depression, my friend was watching

tv and she got this number off and told me to call it because it had to do with the plate in my neck {TITANIUM}.Seems like

I got something that I'm gonna have to deal with it  my shoulders hurts I have pain all in my arms my right arm has tremors.

any ways I called the number and I think the guy said associate so I think it's a Law Frim , but I don' want to be in a class

action, the Lawyers will benafit not the class action. But I hope you get some medical help from some where soon. God bless you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A semi truck rear ended me 8 years ago and broke my neck.  I had Anterior Cervical Disc Fusion on C3-C7 and a year later had to go back in and fuse C7 to T1 and T1 to T2.  I also have 4 ruptured discs in my lumbar that I have not had surgery for and don't intend to....  I am in constant, extreme pain, and have to take pain medication to function.  My range in motion is minimal.  As of late, I have had knife stabbing pain in the area between C7 and T1, on top of the 24/7 extreme pain that I already feel every single moment of my life.  I had an MRI and it showed that everything was still "in place".  I am miserable.  I don't want to up the pain meds - for the first four years I was a walking zombie - taking oxycontin, norco 10's, and morphine.  I chose to stop the oxycontin and morphine, and take the norco 10 in halves - as little as possible throughout the day.  Constant pain.  Any suggestions, other than "shooting myself"?  haha

Michigan I am so sorry for you.  I too am in pain but it is nothing compared to what you have to endure.  Hang in there and don't give up! I have found relief with Gyrotonics, similar to Pilates but more for the spine. You may want to look into that and see if it is for you.

I can truly sympathize with all you people. May 2010 I herniated C6-7 with bruising to my spinal cord, then had ACDF in July 2010. I felt good for about six weeks. Then pain became worse. Everytime I went in for follow up appts I kept telling surgeon I was in worse pain. He said xrays looked good. Finally he must of got sick of me complaining after eight months. He told me I had fibromyalgia and sent me to pain management. Finally after almost a year at appt after my last xray he asked me if I had any problems swallowing, I said yes I have to hold my throat sometimes and I choke. Well my plate and screws moved forward. They came loose. Told me he needed to remove them. I had the surgery to remove all hardware but he never put anything back in to stabilize my neck. He said I was cmpletely healed. Even though it was less than a year. I finally got opinions from two other neurosurgeons who said I had not fused. Now after almost two years and I just had another CT scan I have no fusion at all. I suffer with terrible muscle spasms and headaches. My arms are weak. My life has totally changed  Im not the person I used to be. I need another fusion but it has to be posterior from back of neck now. Im scared to death to have another spine surgery but I guess I have no choice unless I want to live in pain. I feel when the surgeon removed the hardware, he should have done something else to stabilize my neck. Maybe I would not be in this situation. Don't know if I have any recourse either for any malpractice.

I completely relate with sex significantly increasing back and neck pain. It's a subject that is rarely written about and one many people, like myself suffer from. My love life ended four years ago and I am only 50 years old. Hugging each other does not replace the intimacy love making provides. Very grateful to have a husband who understands and loves the new me.