Yuh nSuh ? Possible alternative to vertebrae fusing...

[Kismet]

I just caught the end of a TV bit on the news the other day which was describing a techinique, used in Europe for four years, but only recently implemented here in the U.S.

A local hospital, St. Mary's, of Madison, WI, was using a techique called: ?Dynasys?

The image of the piece they inserted, which allowed vertebrae movement, instead of fusing, looked like...hmmm

two small calipers attached to what appeared to be two pieces of nylon cord (perhaps with a spring in them?) dunno

It was hard to guage the size, but I'd imagine it was the size of a human vertebrae. The deal was that it was less invasive, allowed more function, and was a better deal all around.

I've searched for it on the net, but damned if I can find a link.

I'll try to call the TV station and see if I can find someone who knows....don't hold your breath on that.

You might ask your surgeon, he's got to have better information than I have.

Be well and safe.

 

[Yvsa]

You might ask your surgeon, he's got to have better information than I have.

Be well and safe.

Kis Many, Many, Thanks for thinking of me but it's way too late for me as my L-1 through L-5 have already been fused. The one I think is giving me trouble now, the most anyway, is my S-1 to L-5, I think that's correct anyway.
And the S-1 joint is one that barely moves at the best of times.
Actually I think it is the last movable joint in a person's spine, they are generally fused with no further trouble or complications thankfully.
My Neurosurgeon warned me at the beginning that it might have to be fused one day but we'll see.

However I *will* ask Dr Gaede about the new device if I have to have any fused above L-1.
The device sounds really promising!!!!
I hate the thought of not being able to bend my back at all!!!!
The problem with back fusions is that eventually the vertebrae above and below the fusion deteriorate because of the fusion, a damned if you do and a damned if you don't situation.:grumpy:

Sometimes when I lay down on the bed for Barbie to rub my back with Icy Hot and Capsazin my back will pop real loud.
I can never tell exactly where but it seems like it is my S-1 joint but sometimes it feels like the one above the L-1 joint, hell maybe it's both of them at different times.
We go through two jars of Icy Hot and two tubes of Capsazin a month!!!!

I did all right while Munk was here by taking more pain meds than usual and taking my naps but the pain is getting worse on a daily basis.
Not only does it get worse on a daily basis it is also more intense than it was before our trip to Phoenix.:grumpy:
Munk said I wasn't too short with him at times but I still wonder. I would rather not have been short or bitchy at all.
But By the Gods we *Did* get to see the Machu Picchu Exhibit!!!!
Wasn't as good as I thought it was gonna be though, they had hyped it up a bit, should've known.
At least the time is passing and getting closer to my MRI date, only 6 more days to and then a week later I find out something, maybe.
I suspect this to be the first of more than one test but I can hope still.
At least there are two things we have at our disposal that give me some temporary relief. A large flat head vibrating device with heat and a NeuroStimulator that Dr Gaede got for me long ago.
The vibration of the massager seems to slightly numb my back and the NS does the same although with electrical stimulation.
I was reading this morning on WebMD about a device with small wires that can be inserted into the spine and electrical impulses sent to the area that might be a way for me to get some relief as well.
I can hope about that with the success I have with the vibrator and the NS.

Also Dr Gaede offered me a Morphine Pump several years back that has to be refilled every 30 days.
It has small tubes that dribbles small amounts of Morphine directly onto the spinal cord and is said to be fairly successful.
I refused it back then as the device has to be inserted under your skin and the tubes placed in the right spots....
And like the device you saw there may be even more advancements available now that wasn't available when I had my last fusion.
For me Hope is hard to Kill but we'll see after the 19th what happens.


__________________

 

[Kismet]

I did all right while Munk was here by taking more pain meds than usual

Generally speaking, this is the best way to deal with munk.

 

[kamkazmoto]

Good luck Yvsa. Smoke has been sent.

 

[Bamboo]

Yeah, smoke definitely being sent.


My opinion technically isn't worth much, but something shouts in me for you not to get any more fusions. Doesn't seem like it would actually fix anything, and might speed up your spines decay. I don't know though of course.?

Have you tried any acupuncture or other eastern stuff, Yvsa?



Kis ~ that was great ..

 

[Yvsa]

Yeah, smoke definitely being sent.


My opinion technically isn't worth much, but something shouts in me for you not to get any more fusions. Doesn't seem like it would actually fix anything, and might speed up your spines decay. I don't know though of course.?

Have you tried any acupuncture or other eastern stuff, Yvsa?



Kis ~ that was great ..

~B~ I'm not looking forward to anymore fusions that's for sure but at my age and with the degenerative bone disease on top of an already bad back the fusions are a good way to go actually, just hate the thought of not being able to bend anymore if it comes to that.:grumpy:
The fusions do keep things stable and once it's all fused then no more decay.

Acupuncture works great but is just too damned expensive, perhaps if we lived in China or close to Howard and Red Flower.
There's an excellently trained D.O.M. here in Tulsa, a Dr Weathers that literally got me back on my feet when I was down and out a couple of years back.
If it wasn't for Dr Weathers I may have been bed ridden by now and I wish I could afford his treatments.

I do go to a Massage Therapist that Dr Gaede recommended to me about once every 5-6 weeks, all we can swing, and Danielle helps me a whole lot.
Danielle gets $90.00 for an hour's treatment but she cuts some slack to a few of us old folks and only charges us $75.00 for which we, and especially I, am eternally grateful!!!!
Danielle has kept me walking this long, a couple of years now, but things have progressed to where some more drastic action has to be taken.

What gets me is that I know older folks that had back surgery 25 and 30 years ago the same as mine and they get/got along just fine after their surgeries with little or no pain at all!!!! :grumpy:
Thing is back then they didn't have the pedicle screws and bars to help keep things in place while the fusions healed.
But then those folks weren't allowed to do much at all for a full year after their surgeries.
Seems awfully strange to me that a so-called improvement isn't. Everbody, well almost everybody, I know that has had the implants have problems with their backs.
On of my problems is that mine was done under Workers Compensation and the company doctors were too anxious to get people back to work. The company doctors put me back to work six months after my first surgery, way too quick!!!!
After the first surgery I insisted on my own choice of a Dr and had to get a lawyer to get my choice.:grumpy:
I truly believe had I let the first bastards work on me the 2nd and 3rd times I wouldn't be able to get around at all today.:grumpy: