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1666903 tn?1383332156

Neurology and Neurosurgery

I've been diagnosed with lumbar and cervical stenosis. The lumbar portion is causing the most difficulties. I was told that there is an issue with or between (can't remember) L4 and L5. I've undergone physical therapy, drug treatment, rehab, and three sets of epidural injections, to no avail. Surgery is my last resort. However, I'm a poor surgical risk because I am obese. Does that completely rule me out? I can't live in this kind of pain for much longer. "Electricity " shoots down my leg at odd intervals, my leg burns like fire most of the time, and sleep has become elusive. I'm unable to sleep for longer than an hour at a time, because I have to get up to stop the pain in the back of my hip. All of the options for treatment have been exhausted. Surgery is the final stop. Is there any way I can get this done? I had another surgery last year and the only problem was that I came out of the anesthesia too slowly. Does that preclude me from having the procedure? Thanks, grannymusiclover.
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there. I understand your predicament well. You need to consult your anesthesiologist who will check you up for other possible co morbidities with obesity like hypertension, cardiac disease and diabetes. Thyroid profile would be required to check if hypothyroidism led to delayed recovery from general anesthetics. Regional anesthesia also would be difficult with a higher risk of unpredictability and more frequency of a failed spinal anesthesia. A high-risk consent would be required if you are morbidly obese or have other chronic diseases etc. discuss these with your anesthesiologist and discuss the prognosis and predicted surgical outcome with the neurosurgeon. You could also seek inputs on oxygen- ozone therapy, which is partially interventional. Hope this helps. Take care.





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144586 tn?1284666164
That is a question only your anaesthesiologist and surgeon can answer for certain. Probably not - but that is something requiring an in-person evaluation, I am sure they have told you that sigtnificant relief from pain can be obtained by simply losing weight (hard, I know) and that the weight problem means that a laminectomy may not be that successful.
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