After ACDF, youll want to return to your favorite activities as soon as possible, and while the recovery time might be lengthy, a recent study showed that the procedure reduced arm pain in 93-100% and neck pain in 73-87% of standard patients. After ACDF, youll want to return to your favorite activities as soon as possible, and while the recovery time might be lengthy, a recent study showed that the procedure reduced arm pain in 93-100% and neck pain in 73-87% of standard patients. -Left long head of the biceps tendon is intact. It's amazing how our symptoms are so similar, I think that drs should check out this site. Confusing MRI, cervical disectomy and fusion surgery complications, C4/5 & C5/6 Fusion with TM100 Plate and Screws - Still pain, numbness much improved, Winged scapula (RH side) following C5 C6 Anterior disectomy, longterm pain after anterior cervical fusion, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion C5/6. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988, https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/, https://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2019/01/09/using-the-art-of-medicine-to-overcome-fear-of-surgery/. Should You Push That Shoulder As Far As It Will Go? WebDysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is common, with a prevalence ranging between 28% and 57% of cases. Paraspinal tissues are intact. This study investigates if 6-month outcome with a broad assessment after ACDF with a cervical intervertebral fusion cage can be a guide for the 3-years outcome. I do have some tigthness in my neck, but I have had that for years because of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. You must be logged in to reply to this topic. You could have thoracic outlet syndrome in addition to the other issues you mentioned and it causes arm and hand pain, and TOS is more common with spine injury patients. Welcome to the board. All Rights Reserved. My range of motion is normal except that I cannot touch my chin to my chest when I tuck my head, but it is darn close. I don't feel like I had spine surgery, and I feel much younger than when I was living with the pain from the spine problem. Surgeon said no but agreed to a CT scan, which I had done on Tuesday. Under these circumstances, you may need an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion . I won't be able to bend forward or sideways, which will be hard, but it will help my spine to heal. The primary goal of surgery is to relieve your symptoms by decompressing, or relieving pressure on, the compressed nerves in your neck. Severe Leg Pain After Spinal Fusion According to the parameters studied 50 - 78% of those who at the 6-month follow-up were without deficit were still healthy at the 3-year follow-up. My pain is the same as others have expressed. All said my issues were from the cervical spine, which is why I proceeded with the ACDF surgery. After that, a decision is made based on if they can offer medical help, and if that is yes, they will contact you about an appointment. Dont forget that other structures can refer pain to that area (heart and thoracic aorta among others). WebBackground:Dysphagia is a common complication immediately following anterior cervical spine surgery.However, its onset more than 1-year postoperatively is rare. THANKS FOR ANY REPLY! Careers. he then told me to get Physical Therapy. Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for. I do have extra tightness on one side of my neck and shoulder that pulls into my rib cage. As long as I stretch out what gets tight, I feel great and I have to remember not to slouch and stick my neck out. A week later, Tom arrived at Dr. Kachmann's office. Hi this is lilypaws Did you have a fusion on your neck? It may take weeks or months to fully recover. The risk factors for C5 nerve palsy are male gender, OPLL, and posterior cervical approaches. Bone healing may take as long as 12 months, but generally, activities are unrestricted after 3-6 months. According to the parameters studied 50 - 78% of those who at the 6-month follow-up were without deficit were still healthy at the 3-year follow-up. In fact, ACDF surgeries have an average success rate of between 73% to 100%. Spinal fusion is a common form of back surgery used to treat several kinds of back problems, including scoliosis, vertebral weakness, and herniated discs. WebBackground:Dysphagia is a common complication immediately following anterior cervical spine surgery.However, its onset more than 1-year postoperatively is rare. This website is the stand out source for me. Both of them, along with two physical therapists, said my issues were cervical spine which is why I had surgery. My physical therapist started doing manual work on Thursday instead of the ASTYM she was doing on my arm. After the procedure, the surgical area will remain inflamed as the body heals itself. The most common post-operative neural disorder is C5 nerve palsy. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Conditions of Use linked below. On Jan 11th 2007 I had ACDF without plate or screws C6/C7 with only a soft collar perscibed. After ACDF, youll want to return to your favorite activities as soon as possible, and while the recovery time might be lengthy, a recent study showed that the procedure reduced arm pain in 93-100% and neck pain in 73-87% of standard patients. This inflammation can impact the nerves and cause some numbness. Disc pain is generally diagnosed by discograms but I generally do not recommend discograms in the thoracic spine. There was terminology in that paper that I looked up and in doing that, I found medical literature with cases like mine that were described as a rare presentation. Six month after surgery to this day I have pain across my upper back. These usually get better over the next few weeks. December 19th I had an ACDF C4-C6. Hello, Gilmore06. During the surgery, the spine surgeon accesses the cervical vertebrae from the front of the neck. You can probably do all of this now. Predictive factors for arm pain, neck pain, neck specific disability and health after anterior cervical decompression and fusion. This is the most common question after three-level cervical fusion surgery. Peolsson A, Peterson G, Hermansen A, Ludvigsson ML, Dedering , Lfgren H. BMJ Open. and screws. In reply to @jenniferhunter. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/ Go to the Spine Health Support Group. Long-Distance Consults & Medical Legal: 888-888-5310, Request a Diagnostic or Surgical Second Opinion, Thoracic / Shoulder Blade pain after ACDF 6 months post op, Shoulder supraprinitus tear after ACDF and increasing thoractic pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). WebTypical Physical Therapy after ACDF This is what the patient can typically expect at physical therapy: Pain relief and inflammation are the key concerns at first. Hello, I am currently 6 months out from a two level ACDF (c4-c6). I tend to think that is what I have going on again. The second was c4-7. There is some imbibition of the intra-articular contrast into the superior labrum suggesting degeneration. WebIn the end, after recovering from anterior cervical fusion surgery, most patients report significant improvements and a decrease in pain. Of course I will be discussing this with the surgeon on Monday but wondered if anyone had thoughts on this image. Join Date: Sep 2004. and transmitted securely. WebMuscle pain after Cervical Fusion Surgery may be due to a new shoulder injury. Some patients may need to start physical therapy about a month after ACDF and continue it for a couple more months. I will say that the arm/shoulder issues I have been having over the past month and a half or so are different than the ones I had pre-op. I know how to take my hands and work the knots out. I would certainly prefer a conservative approach of course. I also knew that my range of motion would be nearly the same with a fusion at C5/C6 because it isn't very involved with head turning. Case Description:A 45-year-old male initially underwent a C3-4 and C5-6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).At age 49, 4 years later, he presented with worsening dysphagia accompanied by neck and right upper extremity pain. Office Exercises: Computer Related Neck And Shoulder Pain Solutions, Cervical spine fusion for herniated disk in neck, Neck And Shoulder Pain While Working At A Computer, Cure Shoulder Pain- 6 Top Secrets to End Shoulder Problems Revealed, Recovery After Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery, Recovering From Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion Surgery. It causes pain after ACDF surgery because the bone graft and attached muscles change their biomechanics. WebDysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is common, with a prevalence ranging between 28% and 57% of cases. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. Typically it takes at least 12 months or longer to completely heal from this surgery. Typically this is nothing to be concerned about. It is very common to have some pain after the surgery, but when pain persists for months there are several possibilities. WHEN I STRETCH, IT FEELS LIKE I AM SEPERATING MY SPINE AND I HAVE INTENSE PAIN WHEN RETRACTING FROM THE STRETCH. I've asked my surgeon if that same procedure can be performed along my shoulder blades, sides of my neck and other shoulder as I have the same symptoms as you describe in these areas. Re: ACDF surgery 6 months after! WebThe ACDF helps to relieve symptoms such as neck pain, numbness and tingling in the arms, shoulders, or hand, shooting pain in the arms, weakness of hands, or lower extremities. I miss doing the simple things. Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Haglund performed a minimally invasive posterior cervical fusion with the DTRAX cervical cage system (Providence Medical Technology, Pleasanton, CA). Infection. Reading your post was like deja vu. Thank you for choosing Dr. Corenman as your healthcare provider. I CAN'T SLEEP FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS AT A TIME EVEN WITH SLEEPING PILLS. Any ideas? However, nearly all cases resolve spontaneously within 2 years, thus identifying patients who require more detailed or invasive work-up is a challenging task for clinicians. It is possibly you might have a tad of permanent nerve damage but you won't know for many more months. You may even have a thoracic disc herniation (rare but possible). I also have some numbness in my left hand, which is similiar to what I felt before my surgery. 2006 Feb;148(2):167-73; discussion 173. doi: 10.1007/s00701-005-0660-x. I did the bouncing back and forth between these two specialists prior to surgery and don't want to do it again. 2019 Feb 19;9(2):e027387. My pain management doctor did two rounds of facet injections at T3-T6 which provided no relief. Even the hubby said I might just need to go to Mayo. Cervical fusion is generally considered safe, however, it is major surgery. Me shoulder snaps and pops all the time. I did a lot of myofascial release before my surgery because I was doing this to treat the TOS, and that helped the neurosurgeon during spine surgery because my muscle was easier to retract. After surgical intervention (ACDF), 48 patients (68.6%) noted the cessation of shoulder symptoms (pain, weakness, and numbness) during their last visit. Other goals of surgery include: Improving neck pain. I think it helped surgery go easier because the tissues were looser which made it easier to retract. I am 16 months post surgery now and life is awful. I took a photo of it and have attached it here. WebA physical therapist will help you regain muscle and joint strength and restore full range of motion in the cervical spine. If you have trouble breathing, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately. THE PAIN RETURNED ABOUT 6 WKS AFTER SURGERY. THE PAIN RETURNED ABOUT 6 WKS AFTER SURGERY. Posts: 9,238. Prior to surgery I saw him, two physical therapists and the neurosurgeon. Back on feb 28 i have 2 disc fusions in my c5/7. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027387. Here are a few of the findings: CLINICAL INDICATION: Radiculopathy, cervical region ACDF spanning C3-C6. I really haven't had many problems since the surgery, other than my neck being stiff. WebIt is not uncommon to have pain in the neck following fusion surgery which slowly gets better over 12 to 18 months. Core strength in the entire spine supports everything in the body including the neck. My spine has been corrected, and I'm still working on the TOS and making progress. I had a MRI with contrast on the left shoulder in January to see if it might show something noteworthy and different than the one I had in August. If you have already had facet injections in the area of your thoracic pain, you can generally rule them out as a pain generator. I can get sciatic pain because of my pelvis alignment shifting and do stretches for that, but after this last ride, it feels fine. I stumbled across these postings this am and I was like WOW I am not alone.. and I am NOT crazy! When I contacted Mayo 4 years ago, I wrote to a specific surgeon and asked that he review my imaging because I read papers he co-authored and thought his area on interest would be a good match for what I needed. I had ACDF on C5 C6 about three weeks ago. There is no abnormal enhancement or mass. ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THE SAME AND GOTTEN BETTER? Incorrect Screw Placement Screws and plates are utilized to stabilize the neck during Cervical Fusion Surgery. Ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and other treatments may be used to make the patient more comfortable. Thanks again for your response! Posts: 55. WebPain in the back of the neck and between the shoulder blades is common after ACDF surgery. My physical therapist started doing manual work on Thursday instead of", "@lilypaws ACDF is anterior (frontal approach) cervical discectomy (disc removal) and fusion", "In reply to @jenniferhunter.