Spine Surgery

[onomataho]

~~

My lower back is shot, (two seriously herniated discs), and one of the options I'm considering is spine surgery at the BNH Spine Centre.

I've been through the x-ray, MRI, epidural routine, but due to the extent of the degeneration, surgery may be my best option for leading a full life. The recommended surgery would be a three-level fusion with supporting hardware. So far I have no complaints about the treatment I've received.

I am 49yo, fit and normally very active. I know a lot about the physiology of backs and back ailments, various treatment options, potential pitfalls, rehabilitation, etc., as I've had several previous back surgeries.

Has anyone had experience with this hospital or heard from their friends who have?

I am more interested in hearing about first hand experience with this particular hospital.

Thanks.

~~

[DragonQuest]

If no one cant answer you here I have an Idea: Hang out side the lobby or in or around the Hospital, tell the farangs you see that your doing a survey to rate the Hospital cause your gonna do the back surgery, tell them the truth and in all honesty If i had something done there I would tell you if they are good or not. goodluck and I wish you a safe surgery.

[samtam]

I had some neck/back problems at the beginning of last year and went to BNH Spine Centre. The doctor there was very keen to do surgery on me, but I am reluctant to do this unless completely necessary. (If you've had surgery before you may be quite keen on it.) I subsequently visited a professor at Bumrungrad, having had MRI etc. He said that my neck was OK, and that surgery was completely unnecessary. I had some physio treatment at Bumrungrad, and some extremely painful injections. Finally I gave up and went to see a chiroprator, who helped the problem. I also had accupuncture. My neck problem is ongoing but manageable, but I would still rather never use surgery, and I understand the BNH are quite keen to push this new facility, as it's a good money earner, (not a good reason to have surgery, in my book). So, whilst I haven't actually had the surgery, I would be wary of their recommendations, without getting another opinion.

[chuchok]

Do they have spinal specialists at BNH,or just Orthorpedic Surgeons that do backs?

On my last experience a BNH Orthorpedic bloke said I needed surgery for a herniated disc .A Bumrungrad bloke told me I only had a torn ligament .

On getting back to Auckland, a Spinal Surgeon said there was no need for an operation as it had all settled down etc and sometimes the surgury could be worse than the problem.He then went on to say,that if I ever had problems like this in the future,to mail him the x-rays before anybody cut into me....

[onomataho]

~~~

Thanks for your input.

Just to clarify my situation, the doctor is not "pushing" surgery. It is just an option that is being discussed. At this point we are monitoring my condition together to see if there is improvement with conservative care and exercise.

Sure, doctors will talk about surgery because that is what they do. I don't discount their opinions because of this. The decision is ultimately only mine.

Of course I will get several other opinions. When I had my c-spine operated on I consulted with seven doctors prior to the surgery, and even then I chose the conservative approach.

Surgery is no fun, but neither is living with a condition that is painful and affects every part of one's life. The danger of permanent nerve injury is something that has to be considered when dealing with spinal stenosis...you can wait too long and the harm is irreversible.

~~~

[Who, me ?]

Got micro surgery at the BKK Hospital. I am not sure what is the best ! Surgery or no surgery.....For what I know, I still have not recovered 100%, and never will. Still have some low back pain, even if it is nothing compared to what I faced before surgery...But I have been told that I might have been a bit too fast............If it were to be done again, I think I would do whatever possible to stay away from the knife......

[Nignoy]

A bit off topic but !!I had 4 vertebrae fused 6 years ago in the Greenslopes Veterans hospital in Brisbane, for 4 Glorious years after I was pain free!!and slowly but surely the vertebrae above and below the fusion started to deteriorate, now the condition is inoperable and I live on strong prescribed painkillers, as young as you are I would try out all options before even considering surgery Nignoy

[jimmym40]

I too have had back surgery in the US. I had a herniated disc, which back in 1991, I believe the only option was surgery. I also have had back pain for 30 yrs. At the time of surgery (having had MRIs, etc), I was told I also have degenerative disc disease. (Drying up of the discs) At the time of surgery, they fused two lower discs and was told one disc upwards was half gone also. Since then I have been having MRIs approx every 5 yrs. No improvement mind you, just to see how far the degeneration has gove. The surgery alleviated the excruciating pain from the herniated disc, but the fusion gave me no relief from the daily pain I still have today.

I know you asked for info about the hospital. My question to you is: do you indeed have herviated discs? degeneration? or both?

I haven't been to see a spine surgeon for many years, but I believe in this day and age in medicine, that they stay away from using hardware to fuse discs. That is a very serious surgery. I think they now just replace the discs with artificial discs which is also a much safer, shorter time spand surgery.

Just wanted to add my two cents in case this facility does not have the up to date procedures in their book.

Hope all goes well...

Jim

[onomataho]

~~~

Very simple question here...

"Has anyone had experience with this hospital (BNH) or heard from their friends who have?

I am more interested in hearing about first hand experience with (back surgery or other types of surgery) at this particular hospital (BNH)."

Respectfully, as much as it is nice of you to share...

I really don't need to know about your back, what your doctor in Anatolia had to say, or what you think about the latest technology in back surgery. Everyone is different and how they deal with their health decisions is really their own business.

I'm an educated, rational adult and I will make an informed decision regarding my back that I will live with, for better or for worse. I'd just like to hear about someone's first hand experience at BNH.

Thanks.

~~~

[Gary A]

~~~

Very simple question here...

"Has anyone had experience with this hospital (BNH) or heard from their friends who have?

I am more interested in hearing about first hand experience with (back surgery or other types of surgery) at this particular hospital (BNH)."

Respectfully, as much as it is nice of you to share...

I really don't need to know about your back, what your doctor in Anatolia had to say, or what you think about the latest technology in back surgery. Everyone is different and how they deal with their health decisions is really their own business.

I'm an educated, rational adult and I will make an informed decision regarding my back that I will live with, for better or for worse. I'd just like to hear about someone's first hand experience at BNH.

Thanks.

~~~

I doubt that this will help much but I'll tell you about it. A good friend of mine had a hip replacement at BNH. He elected to go with the old fashioned surgery rather than the new less invasive technique. He had only good to say about the procedure and the care he received. He is pain free and is back playing golf at least once a week.

[sleepyjohn]

I'm gonna make this quick I'm afraid it's late...

I first spent time in hospital in traction at the age of 19 after severe spasm/inflammation started by heavy duty rowing.

Had regular problems through my life but managed to play polo for years (very jarring and twisting to back) although it would send me to the osteopath two or three times a season.

Four or five years ago had my worst spell since teenage. Would be locked bent over in great pain in public. Tried to see it through and used voltarol but this time it was different. One day I went into recurrent spasm on the floor, series of spasms every few minutes, me groaning and moaning. Was driven to the clinic and the normal checkups. Went home but that day started to get numb patches....heel, outer thigh. Two of my muscles stopped working, the gastrochemius inside my lower leg, and the muscle that lifts the foot. The last one was the serious one....one simply cannot walk anywhere near properly. Up and down. What's worse, I had numbness in my penis. This time they took at at the highest level of seriousness. (Apparently the next stage after impotence is incontinence.) The spinal chord was obviously in serious and possibly irreversible trouble. I was in an MRI machine in two hours. Imagine that in England!

Well I'm getting to the bit that's important to you, but I think its important I described what I did.

The surgeon showed me the MRI. There was a distinct narrowing of the canal and seeming squeezing of the chord, with a bend also at that worst place. It looked real bad, and he offered me a laminectomy. In this they cut the rear section off several vertebrae along with the bony extrusions and muscles, so the spinal chord is ina valley rather than a tunnel, thereby relieving the pressure. I said I would think about it. Next time I spoke to him I sadi I've seen something that looks bad, but I don't know what other 50 year old spines look like. He said well it is bad, but you have a point.

The short of it is I turned it down. I moved to Thailand a year or so later. Great news for the world the penis nerves had got better within six months! The foot lifting muscle started working also! The gastrochemius muscle has simply withered away so the spinal nerves feeding it obviously died off completely. The same goes for the numb patches, still numb. The great news is both of these problems are not really problems and I barely notice them, I believe other muscles have taken over. The two important things are 100% better. Here's the important thing. I haven't had such a problem free four or five years in my life. Whether warmer climate eases the muscles I don't know. I get a little bit of gip of course, but it's nothing compared to the past.

So this was with no surgery.

Now I am not an anti medical or anti-surgery nut at all, but I do believe in evidence, and I do believe that given good conditions the body tends to get better and to compensate for problems. So I suggest you look for evidence that this surgery works (that's not so ridiculous as it sounds) and take it from there.

Good luck to you, the specifics of my story may not apply to you that is for you to decide. I will say do not act in desperation like I nearly did and many people do.

Good luck to me too, will it last....who knows?

Edited July 6, 2007 by sleepyjohn

[southwest19]

~~

My lower back is shot, (two seriously herniated discs), and one of the options I'm considering is spine surgery at the BNH Spine Centre.

I've been through the x-ray, MRI, epidural routine, but due to the extent of the degeneration, surgery may be my best option for leading a full life. The recommended surgery would be a three-level fusion with supporting hardware. So far I have no complaints about the treatment I've received.

I am 49yo, fit and normally very active. I know a lot about the physiology of backs and back ailments, various treatment options, potential pitfalls, rehabilitation, etc., as I've had several previous back surgeries.

Has anyone had experience with this hospital or heard from their friends who have?

I am more interested in hearing about first hand experience with this particular hospital.

Thanks.

~~

I have been through 3 back ops and believe me it should be the very last resort. Do you suffer from sciatica? If not don't even consider surgery it is uneccesary.

Also I question the spinal fusion with supporting hardware these days most surgeons prefer removing part of the disk.

Lastly don't go near an orthopeadic surgeon insist on a neurosurgeon if you do have surgery they are far more skilled.

Good Luck.

[tslau]

Hai,

I just had my laminotomy and disectomy at Phayathai Siracha 8 months ago, for a almost 20 year sciatica and back pain problem. The pain was not sharp, but it just constantly there. The MRI scan showed degenerated and dried discs on two levels L4-L5 and L5-S1. The hernited disc seems touching the spinal cord but not too much. Based on my symptoms and MRI, the doctor diagnosed as spinal stenosis, and recommended this surgery.It did somehow reduced the back pain which was getting serious prior to surgery, but it did nothing to improve the sicatica. So any surgery may not 100% solve back related.

I had also went to BNH, and it seems that Dr. Vicharn there is the foremost expert in Charite disc replacement in this region of SEA. Reportedly had done more than 100 disk replacement surgeries, and teaching other surgeon in this region.

However, according to website news, the success rate is about 60%!! See website www.adrsupport.org, for feedback and patient information, and recommended surgeon in Eurpoe. many patients reported good result, but some have totally failed.

goodluck, as one surgeon said to me...back problem is a never ending story....

[Captain Chaos]

Herniated disc L5-S1 April 2005. Couldn't walk for 2 days. Went to Bumrungrad. X-ray, medicines, physio / traction etc. 3 similar relapses in 3 months. Had MRI. Lots of pain, trapped nerve, this thing was really screwing up my life! Bumrungrad recommended surgery ... an 'old fashioned' discotomy (whatever you call it - remove the herniated disc segment by cutting from the back to release pressure on the nerve)

Decided to seek second opinion at BNH as the longevity of discotomies as a solution doesn't seem that good to me. BNH concurred that surgery was now to be considered, but suggested Total Artificial Disc Replacement rather than discotomy. Uses a German 'Charite Disc' (google it). Advantages: much shorter recovery time, should provide full replacement (mobility, strength etc) for 40 yrs for the average person (whoever that is) by which time I'll be 75 so who knows what'll have been developed by then?

Had surgery on Friday night, say 10.00pm. Out of bed and walking 12 hrs later. Discharged from BNH on Monday morning. At work on Thursday. Incision is on the front, around belt level. Was a little uncomfortable for a while but fading nicely now. Can exercise freely - even taken up golf (but not very well)

Total cost was c THB450k. BUPA didn't even blink given that's probably half what it would be in the UK.

FOR ME ... it has been a complete success and I would recommend BNH without reservation. HOWEVER, it might not suit the OP's or anyone elses' circumstances so I recommend getting other opinions elsewhere - and THEN talk to BNH as I think they may well be the more 'radical' option...

Hope this helps. Welcome to PM me for further info.

CC

Edited July 9, 2007 by Captain Chaos

[asiaworld]

~~~

Very simple question here...

"Has anyone had experience with this hospital (BNH) or heard from their friends who have?

I am more interested in hearing about first hand experience with (back surgery or other types of surgery) at this particular hospital (BNH)."

Respectfully, as much as it is nice of you to share...

I really don't need to know about your back, what your doctor in Anatolia had to say, or what you think about the latest technology in back surgery. Everyone is different and how they deal with their health decisions is really their own business.

I'm an educated, rational adult and I will make an informed decision regarding my back that I will live with, for better or for worse. I'd just like to hear about someone's first hand experience at BNH.

Thanks.

~~~

Very simple answer! (from xxperience) > BNH basically a gang of rascals, they enjoy cutting patients . Bumrungrud more expensive, but Much More Sensible !