Successful Kyphoplasty Surgery

This is a major week for us as we prayerfully wait for more good news. First, Deb’s kyphoplasty surgery went well yesterday morning (10-31), and she got home at 7:30 last night, but she is back on pain medication due to the incisions and manipulation of the spine. Second, we will get blood work info back on the cancer markers (special tests) late this week.

Praise the Lord! She can now stand totally erect. Her spine (which had been protruding) is now recessed as it should be. The Dr. did a bone marrow biopsy of each of the two vertebras to determine if there is still any myeloma activity. These biopsies were painless since she was under anesthesia and will take the place of a special bone marrow biopsy surgery that the Hematologist wanted her to have done in the near future which would have hurt pretty good! So that is a special serendipity blessing in the timing of all this.

Her lower back feels much better, and apparently that sore knot area above her right kidney since March was a muscle spasm all these months because of the compression fracture down low (Lumbar #3). The knot is now quickly getting smaller and less painful. The surgeon said that this L-3 vertebra was very soft and would have continued to compress and get worse, so it is repaired and solid now with the 9cc of cement filling it now.

The T-12 (thoracic #12 located low between the shoulder blades) had ossified (i.e.the bone was healing itself and mending) and was very hard to get the needle into and then took lots of pressure to “balloon” it to full size. In other words the natural mending of the fractures in it had to be broken apart as the vertebra had its inch in height added back with the procedure, as planned. However, that vertebra is going to be sore and hurting for a while due to the corrective surgical trauma. But the 6 cc of cement has it solidly in place and her spine as a whole is in much better alignment. The surgeon said that judging from the amount of healing in it, this T-12’s compressing is probably the pain that put Deb in the hospital and on morphine in late June as it was compressing and crunching down and was what made her feel like her back was not connected.

Now for the minimal downside. She has to take it very easy for two months as the spine readjusts so as not to cause weaker vertebras to develop compression fractures. No bending, lifting, etc., and no driving for a week. But that is a small price to pay to get much more of a normal life going again.

Blssings,
Duane