Introduction

I was diagnosed with a broken joint in my spine approximately five years ago. My surgeon and I decided to take a conservative approach to treatment and try to suppress the pain and other symptoms I had first. Over the following years I underwent three minor surgeries involving injections into the spine. Eventually, we made the decision to go for surgery. It was at this point that I discovered that (at the time) there were very few personal narratives on the Internet that tell it like it is; there were plenty of horror stories but very few successes. It is now about five months since surgery which is 'early days' but I do consider my surgery a success so far. It should be noted that everyone's experience is different and how similar yours will be to mine is depended on how similar your problem is and that I had a couple of post-operative complications that I hope you are spared.

The following sections of this post are for reference.

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My Case

Diagnosis:  

Spondylolisthesis L5/S1 (grade 1/2) with:

Bilaterally compromised foramen

Spinal stenosis

Herniated disc

Degraded right facet joint

Cause:

Likely to be previous traumas plus age related degeneration and, possibly made more likely by a the slight lumbar lordosis that most of my mother's side of the family exhibit.

Treatment:

Nerve root block L5/S1

Facet joint injections: L4/L5, S1/S2, & S2/S3

Lumbar Epidural

PLIF L5/S1 + support of right fact joint using MAST

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Quick Guide

Anatomy:

The top 7 vertebrae that form the neck are called the cervical spine and are labeled C1-C7. The seven vertebrae of the cervical spine are responsible for the normal function and mobility of the neck. They also protect the spinal cord, nerves and arteries that extend from the brain to the rest of the body.

The upper back, or thoracic spine, has 12 vertebrae, labeled T1-T12.

The lower back, or lumbar spine, has 5 vertebrae, labeled L1-L5. The lumbar spine bears the most weight relative to other regions of the spine, which makes it a common source of back pain.

The sacrum (S1) and coccyx (tailbone) are made up of 9 vertebrae that are fused together to form a solid, bony unit.

Definitions:

• Spondylolisthesis - a forward dislocation of one vertebra over the one beneath it producing pressure on spinal nerves.
• (Intervertebral) Foramen - a passage for a spinal nerve and vessels that is formed by notches on pedicles of adjacent vertebrae.
• Spinal Stenosis - condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and peripheral nerves at the level(s) affected.
• Facet Joint - any of the four projections that link one vertebra of the spine to an adjacent vertebra.
• Nerve Root - the initial segment of a nerve leaving the central nervous system.
• Epidural - on or around the dura mater, in particular, (of an anesthetic) introduced into the space around the dura mater of the spinal cord.
• PLIF - Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This is a surgical technique used to join two or more vertebrae whereby the disc is accessed from a posterior incision. Supplementary bone tissue, either from the patient (autograft) or a donor (allograft), is used in conjunction with the body's natural bone growth (osteoblastic) processes to fuse the vertebrae.
• MAST - Minimal Access Spinal Technology. Uses cameras with microscopes, high definition monitors and other technology to allow surgeons to perform spine surgery with minimal soft tissue trauma.