Fractured Cervical Spine Pedicle Screws AGAIN!

[Ksod]

What is the name of your state? Connecticut. I'm a 47 y/o male and father of three children, automotive technician. Prior to my lumbar/neck injuries/surgeries which occured on the job due to a practical joker, I was healthy, active and vibrant man with no limitations or pre-existing conditions. I injured my lumbar spine at L4/5 and also suffered a herniations of my cervical spine at C4,5,6,7. I've been in pain management since 2002. My problem today is with my neck with broken pedicle screws, the second time this has occured in as much as three years, but at two different levels and from different surgeons. In 2002/03, I underwent an anterior neck fusion at C5,6,7 using bone graft from my hip, four screws and a plate. Since that surgery for the next two years, something didn't feel right, I suffered continued pain, new pain, burning sensations, binding, vocal change and numbness, much of which subsided except pain and intermitant numbness in my fingers. In 2004/05, I began feeling strange sensations behind my esophagus, pinching and increased numbness in my fingers. My Neurosurgeon found through xrays that three pedicle screws were snapped off at the plate level and screw crown debries were moving around. I was ordered into emergency surgery to remove the screws, plate and debries with refusion of those levels. I was also told a posterior approach would be used as well with cages/BMP. When I recovered from surgery, I found out that they had removed all loose screw pieces, but left three screw studs embedded in the vertebrates, dropped a small piece of the screw crown which they claimed lodged into my vertebrate bone, I then found out this part of a screw, measuring aprox. 4x2mm was lodged in the soft tissue behind my esophagus and was too risky to remove due to possible voice loss. This was not known by any of the professionals until after postop xrays a month later. They did not re-fuse those levels, they decided to fuse instead C4/5 using an anterior approach with cadaver graft, a plate and more pedicle screws. In winter 2005, I was told I had to settle my workmans compensation case since reaching MMI, this settled in May 2006. I was ordered to set up a Medicare set-aside account to be used for any back/neck related treatments in the future. Feeling as good as expected through spring, summer and fall of 2006, but feeling better. In December/Janruary 2006/07, I began noticing increased, but now constant finger numbness, a lot of snap, crackle and popping in my neck, vocal changes, more pain and even sharp sensations in my throat. I contacted the Neurosurgeon's office in Janruary, was very explicit in my symptom descriptions and expressed my concern as it felt as it did the last time screws broke. They did not treat me as an emergency, made me wait a month and a half for xrays, which were finally done there in mid February. They scheduled a followup appointment for two weeks later. Four days prior to this date, They rescheduled me, but again, for two weeks later. On March 6th, 2007, I met with the neurosurgeon, it took him ten minutes to tell me what was wrong. I asked to see the xrays. He continued on about pain meds and their effects. Finally he put the film on the screen, it showed one broken screw, another stretched, about to break and with now, psudoarthrosis at C4/5. But THIS TIME, no MRI was ordered, no CT scans, nothing but to return to my pain management physician to adjust my meds for pain, he discussed the need for "POSSIBLE SURGERY" with reconstruction, cages, replating and "PERHAPS A POSTERIOR APPROACH ALSO" and he said "have more xrays of your lumbar and come back to see me in a month or so." The lumbar had nothing to do with my appointment or concerns. Frightened, my blood pressure through the roof with axiety and have had to see a cardiak specialist now. Following the neurosurgeons orders, I returned for xrays of my lumbar spine, I also asked to have new films done of the neck. I went to the pain management physician, he felt my situation much more critical and warrants seeing another neuro and ortho surgeon. He ordered an cervical spine MRI, had that done March 22nd. I called the Neurosurgeon's office to set up another appointment within the next two weeks to review the MRI report, and to make sure I get in to see him in a reasonable amount of time, to this day, they refuse to make me an appointment, stating "when the doctor reads the report and feels he needs to see you, we'll call." I have done NOTHING to cause these screws to fracture, I have done nothing out of the ordinary, no lifting, twisting, bending. When they broke the first time, it was a big emergency, now that there is no insurance coverage, but cash from my set aside account, he doesn't want to know nothing, and my problem is worstning. They wont even give me my xray films so I can see if any changes have been happening in my neck since the last films. I will see two new doctors March 28th and April 8th. I know there is a history behind these pedicle screws fracturing, but I can't locate anything on Danek, Altantis or other case history. Something is wrong here and it isn't from my own doing. What do I do? Do I have a case? Every attorney around my area says there's a conflict of interest with the doctors involved. Who do I talk to. The last time this happened, I had a very good possibility of malpractice, but the statute of limitations had run out or there was conflict of interests.

 

[ecmst12]

I can't read your post. Please edit to include paragraph breaks and take out any unnecessary information. Posts which are easy to read get better answers.

 

[ellencee]

Yes; please edit the original post! I tried to read and understand it but it is impossible to keep up with what you are trying to say.

Thanks!
EC

 

[Ksod]

I can't read your post. Please edit to include paragraph breaks and take out any unnecessary information. Posts which are easy to read get better answers.

Sorry, I'll do that as soon as I can. The bottom line, after todays visit to another Ortho surgeon, I have two more broken pedicle screws than I did last week. My apologies with the book I wrote.