How much range do you lose with L5-S1 fusion?

[Still in Limbo]

Be Sure to thoroughly Discuss Your Scar Tissue Issues with Your Surgeon Prior to Surgery. I had a Microdiscectomy/Laminectomy in 1/05, and I am not only Herniated on the Half of a Disc I have left, I Have Retrolethesis, (Sliding of the Spine) and Severe Scar Tissue in the Area the Disc was removed from My Spine, and wrapped around My S1 Nerve Root that is also Crushed. (The Scar Tissue wrapped itself before the Nerve Root could try and Heal) If they don't See a Problem with Your Scar Tissue, I Wish You My Very Best, and I Hope All Goes Absolutely Great!! Unfortunately My Dr. Says "No Surgery unless it's a Life or Death Situation"! So I would Love to See Yours go Well, so I can Live the Excitement and Happiness through Your Posts! Best of Luck, and My Prayers are with You!!!

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Here is the issue. No one here can just tell you to get a Fusion, or not to get a Fusion.

What you should and need to do is, talk and ask your Doctor's and Surgeon's what would be best for you and only you. Then you and those doctor's set up you health plan.

That's how you properly do things.

All we can do, is tell you the pro's and con's, plus other facts that had happen to us or others in the past. But, that still doesn't mean it would happen to you or not. One never is going to know the results till whatever is done is done. Not even your surgeon or doctor. In fact you sign a waiver to that fact before any surgery is done.

[bagpussinamerica]

Yes, I know it is something I need to discuss with my surgeon, and I certainly will. I am just feeling the area about this. I haven't made any decisions, just trying to see what has happened with other people since I have only ever heard negetive reports about the success rate. But then, I suppose the doctors wouldn't do them if they were always unsuccessful.

The pain I am having at the moment, on a scale of 1 - 10 is pretty much constant 8 and sometimes 10.....really really bad. I can't take pain meds they just don't agree with me....wipe me out basically. But...with a fusion I am thinking that the pain left over wouldn't be that bad....really bad, surely. But I don't know.


The surgeon did tell me that he shaved off scare tissue at that site....I don't know what was there when he went in...but he is saying that the scare tissue that is there now will actually help him somewhat since he will be able to move the nerve about a bit better. He couldn't do that before because of the opening...but he says that it should be more pliable now. But I will discuss this with him as well.

So far I am just waiting for his letter to get to workmans comp so that they can put me back on regular payments, instead of settlement payments. He will call me and set up an appt. to talk about what next after that.