X-Ray pictures - 12 weeks post spinal surgery
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi everyone, I'm 14 weeks post-op after fracturing my L1 vertebrae.
These X-Ray's were taken a week or two ago, in my local hospital (not where I got my surgery done). I had to go to my local A&E because the pain I'm having along my right side is getting much worse and making it impossible to bend without severe pain and stiffness when trying to straighten up again.
My surgery was, to my understanding (the surgeon did not speak to me before surgery and hasn't seen me since), not a fusion surgery. The metal rods and screws were only put in to stabilise my spine until it is healed, and then they are coming out again (within a year or so).
Do you think the screws look misplaced within the L2 vertebrae (the bottom vertebrae with screws in)? To me, they look like they are almost overlapping and placed incorrectly.
I am thinking that maybe this could be part of the extreme pain I have been having along my right mid-to-lower back, glute and hip area since surgery.
Thank you in advance and the link to my X-rays are below!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150527301@N02/
0 likes, 3 replies
Laura3333 james57451
Posted
Hi James, To me it just looks like the angle the X-ray was taken at.
It's just to hold L2 apart from L1. The screws goes directly into the bone, wouldn't see how that would cause pain whether at an angle or not, it's to stabilise the three vertebrae
james57451 Laura3333
Posted
Hiya Laura, I do see what you're saying but I think that they definitely are placed wrong as the rest of the screws do not look like that.
I know what you're saying about them going into the bone directly but the vertebrae has nerve roots and I think that if a screw was placed into one of these nerve roots that could cause pain.
Thanks for replying!
Laura3333 james57451
Posted
The vertebrae don't have nerve roots, the nerves pass between them, through the hollow spaces, and the lumbar spine doesn't have the spinal cord with associated nerves running through it.
The screws go directly into bone, no surgeon would drill into vertebrae if there were nerves there.
I still think it looks ok, and it doesn't really matter whether the screws are exactly level with each other, they look stable and are doing the job they are meant to do.ie fixating that part of the spine.
Hopefully when you have the apparatus removed and you are healed and more flexible, you will have less pain.
You shouldn't even be trying to bend your lower back, as the fixatior is there to stop you doing that until your bone knits together, so I would imagine it will cause pain.
Bend using your knees. When it's taken out, Physio will help you get your bend back.