Guest guest Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Hi , I had the some of the same things as you son. I had tethered cord that ended at L3/L4 with a fatty lump(LMC) of my lower back. I didn't have the C1 issues. I was diagnosed at 17 yrs old. I had my surgery July 8th, 2005. I can tell you alittle bit about my surgery that I know. My surgery lasted 4 hours. When I started to wake up I was in lots of pain so they gave me lots of medicine which was morphine through my IV. I had to lay flat on my back for 24 hours and I needed morphine every hour for the first night because of pain. I had a tube that was inserted in my back to drain all the blood and other fluid from surgery. The next morning my doctor told me I needed to try and get out of bed and sit up. So the nurse got me out of bed which was very painful. If your son has surgery I suggest he takes some pain meds before he tries to get up his first time. It was very hard to even try to ger up and it took me a long time because I was in pain. I also got very nauseous. The next day the doctor took the drain tube out of my back and also the cathader out too. He wanted me to get out of bed and try walking to the bathroom, but that was it. The next day I was allowed to get up and walk around more. The more I got up the less pain there was the next time I needed to get up. On the 5th day I was allowed to leave the hospital with limitations. I wasn't allowed to drive, but only be a passanger in a vehicle. I wasn't allowed to do much, but rest at home and I couldn't take a bath, but only a shower. I couldn't swim for atleast 3 weeks or take baths for 3 weeks. About 2 weeks after surgery my back was swollen. I had to go back to the doctor and he had to stick a needle in my back to drain the fluid. 2 days after that my back was swollen back. I had to go back to the doctor and he decided I needed surgery for a CSF leak (spinal fluid leak). After surgery I found out I had so bad of a leak it damaged my spinal and he had to fix this. I had to lay flat for 72 hours and was on bed rest for 4 days and I was in the hospital for 11 days. I encourage everyone who has this surgery to watch for swelling. If the swelling stays longer then 2 weeks check with your doctor you could have a CSF leak. Your son may not go through all the same things I went through because everyone is different, but atleast you have some what of an idea. Hope I helped. Lee Anne, TCS/LMC at L3/L4 surgery July 8th, 2005 CSK leak repaired August 12th, 2005 --- lisa owen wrote: > does anyone out here know what some of this means. > I understand some of it but not all of it. We have > to see the Nero surgeon on May 2 to discuss surgery > for my son for his tethered cord and C1 > issues. Here is what I know so far. > > Tethered cord ends at L3/ L4 and its pulled back > with a fatty growth. The cervical spine has alot of > narrowing to it and is small at C3 and C4, C1 the > top of spine is not put together right and is not in > one solid piece. He may need surgery as well for > the C1 issues but wont know until May the doctor > said the Nero surgeon has to get more xrays to find > out how stable C1 is. . We also found out he has a > mild from of spina bifida. > > I know I am new here but want to thank everyone in > advance for any info. > > mom to 11yrs. > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for > ridiculously low rates. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > > Not Medical Advice. We Are Not Doctors. > Need help with the list? Email > kathy@...,michelle@..., > rick@... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Hi , I'm not a doctor, but I've been around for a while and was a medical social worker. So here's what I see: the spinal cord is low and tuck in a lipoma at the end. There is a lot of cervical stenosis, especially around C3,4. I'm not sure exactly what they said about C1, but it is apparently unstable - and that's a really imporatant vertebra since your head is sitting on it! V > Tethered cord ends at L3/ L4 and its pulled back with a fatty growth. The cervical spine has alot of narrowing to it and is small at C3 and C4, C1 the top of spine is not put together right and is not in one solid piece. He may need surgery as well for the C1 issues but wont know until May the doctor said the Nero surgeon has to get more xrays to find out how stable C1 is. . We also found out he has a mild from of spina bifida. > > I know I am new here but want to thank everyone in advance for any info. > > mom to 11yrs. > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted April 4, 2006 Thank you for the info. Is stenosis a major issues or is just something that comes with TC?? I really don't know all of these medical terms yet so please don't think I am crazy for asking.. What is a lipoma?? The C1 issue really scares me I just really don't know what to think about all of this at this point. Thanks again for the info and I hope I can get to know everyone out here and be able to help others in time as well as get info.. I am sorry for the late reply but I work alot of hours and don't have alot of computer time.. .. > > Hi , > > I'm not a doctor, but I've been around for a while and was a medical > social worker. > > So here's what I see: the spinal cord is low and tuck in a lipoma at > the end. There is a lot of cervical stenosis, especially around > C3,4. > > I'm not sure exactly what they said about C1, but it is apparently > unstable - and that's a really imporatant vertebra since your head > is sitting on it! > > V > > > > > Tethered cord ends at L3/ L4 and its pulled back with a fatty > growth. The cervical spine has alot of narrowing to it and is small > at C3 and C4, C1 the top of spine is not put together right and is > not in one solid piece. He may need surgery as well for the C1 > issues but wont know until May the doctor said the Nero surgeon has > to get more xrays to find out how stable C1 is. . We also found out > he has a mild from of spina bifida. > > > > I know I am new here but want to thank everyone in advance for > any info. > > > > mom to 11yrs. > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously > low rates. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.