Accidentally nicked the dura.

So glad to hear that your Dad's surgery went well (except for the dura nicking thing!). I don't have any personal experience with it myself so I did a little research. Apparently, 'nicks' and tears are not uncommon during back surgery, no matter how careful the surgeon is - mainly because spinal tissues are very delicate. So no, your family isn't cursed!

I hope your Dad has a speedy, uneventful recovery and that you're feeling better soon too.

Thanks Splashdancer and Merrida for your comments. I appreciate the support and the info. I guess if I see his surgeon when visiting the hospital tomorrow I shouldn't yell at him and create a scene! I talked to my Dad around 8pm, he sounded pretty good, said right now the pain isn't too bad (I think the stuff they pumped into him during surgery and the anesthesia hasn't worn off yet, and he's got a PCA thingy), but he's very nauseous. He told them a few times before surgery that he gets sick from the anesthesia, and they assured him they would take care of it, but they're not doing a very good job of it. I told him to ask his nurse if he can just get regularly scheduled doses of zofran for the next day or so, but I highly doubt he will remember to check on that. I guess my Mom talked to him earlier in the evening, and then he called her a few hours later and they had the same exact conversation again...his brain is just a little bit foggy yet! Just hope that the pain isn't too terrible as the meds given during surgery start to wear off.

I agree with Splash.

As much as we really shouldn't have to keep on them about managing our symptoms, sadly, we do. When we're a little loopy still from post-op and cannot be our own best advocate, it's so helpful to have caring family members tend to these issues.

It's very common. And I second it,....you can make the phone call, (we've had to do it for relatives before), and sometimes, yes, it takes several calls, but persistence pays off, and it keeps things fresh in their minds and on the records.

Be polite, but be persistent. It works! I'm glad your dad has you looking out for him. :)







M.

Update: 5/1, AM.

So, got a call from my mom this morning. I am very unhappy w/ the surgeon. If all had gone like it was supposed to, Dad would have been out of bed 24 hrs after surgery to begin PT. So, it's now day #4, PT came in, fine, good, do it, but as Dad sat up, he got the absolute worst headache imaginable almost immediately, as a rush of spinal fluid filled the drain. Put him back to lying flat right away. Doc was brought up right away. Doc says, well, maybe the drain was clogged or something and that was the "final rush" of spinal fluid, and it's fine. Umm, NO. How about, you (surgeon) did more than "nick" the dura, and your repair isn't doing a darn thing. Great! Now they decided to hold anything to eat or drink, will reassess the fluid leak situation in a few hours, then likely take him back to OR late afternoon/early evening. And Dad is pretty frustrated (normal) and depressed (big problems w/ knee replacement 6 months ago, now problem w/ this surgery!) They had originally said he would likely be going HOME on day #4, instead, he'll likely go for more surgery, then a day or 2 of bed rest, then hopefully get him out of bed after that. If he is still able to bend and move any part of him!

YES, I am really edit. Treatment by nurses, etc, has been crap and I am not happy about the surgeon trying to minimize things so far. Dad is in what is known as a very good hospital in a large city. What do the poorly fun hospitals look like??


I am struggling with my own health issues right now. GI probs and migraines are of course worse this week (because of stress), pain is not helping, saw my psychiatrist yesterday, and after seeing me, she called my headache doc. Both of them call me this morning to let me know we are lowering one of my preventative headache meds in an effort to make me less tired. I am back to sleeping 13-16, maybe more, hours in a 24 hour period. (And not due to depression!) And yesterday, went to see the "special" dentist (prosthodontist or something like that) who pulled out all my stitches (there were a LOT more than I realized)(and in case anyone wondered, getting stitches yanked out of your gums and roof of the mouth, after tissue grows around them, is rather painful. I had tears flowing after the 2nd one), then he says things look as they should look at this time considering what was done, but if pain gets worse or I have any signs of infection before returning in 2 weeks, I need to call him ASAP and get back on the antibiotics (fingers crossed it won't happen), and finally lets me know that the tooth next to the big hole will likely need a root canal, as when he was in there for the procedure, he saw right away that the infection was much bigger than originally thought and had eaten away a lot more bone, leaving the nerve roots of the next tooth over to be completely exposed.

I am beyond thrilled at how things are going. On the road to hell pretty quickly.

Wish I could wake up and realize that this life was just a bad dream.

Help!!

Sunny, I had to edit a word out of your post because of the forum rules concerning language. We never know the ages of people that read these posts, therefore we have to keep it clean & Healing Well is a family oriented site. Thanks.

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 5/1/2014 5:57:54 PM (GMT-6)

So sorry to read what has happened with your dad. I have come to the conclusion it does not matter how highly rated a hospital is, things still happen in them.

Hopefully once this is repaired again your dad will get on the mend & out of there & back home soon. As bad as you would like to say something to the surgeon, I urge you not to, your dad could reap the retaliation of something said & I know you don't want that. There are always good nurses & bad ones, no getting around that one.

I have been there with my brother at the nursing home he was at a couple of weeks, but I knew if I shot my mouth off it could come back on him.

Take care.

Sunny,

I do hope everything went your dad's way today. It's about time.

I have had many experiences with all kinds of chiropracters, physicians and surgeons as I have a degenerative disease of my spinal discs. It is most pronounced in the lumbar area and that is what gives me severe pain that impacts upon my ADLs (activities of daily living. I have bulging, withering, thin and herniated discs from L1 through L5 including S1 (sacral). There is also "facet degeneration with hypertrophy, foraminal stenosis, slight scoliosis of the lower spine, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. The pain started about 6 years ago. The rest of my spine is also affected but not to an extreme point yet.

After going through every possible non surgical therapy and getting no relief of my severe pain, I finally decided on going in for surgery. Last year I had two surgeries as I got no relief after the first surgery and, after the second surgery, I still did not get any relief. 

I must say that the pain shifted a bit but the intensity remaind the same. Each surgery took about two hours and included the use of a laser at times. Both times they performed laminoforaminotomys, partial mediofacetectomys and forminotomies. Ligaments were removed from around the nerve roots and thecal sac. After a brief stay in the recovery room, I was driven home on the same day, by my best friend. That was for both surgeries. In and out the same day.

After each surgery I requested and received a written Physician Operative Report. That covered every single little thing that was done and what medications were used for irrigation, bleeding control, anti-inflammatory steroids, antibiotics, etc. In reading the report after both surgeries, it was very clear that they used a flourascope x-ray machine to guide the placement of instruments so as not to nick or cut the Dura. They were quite patient and careful to repeatedly use the flourascope which is like a motion picture x-ray to be certain that the Dura would not be damaged during the procedure.

Now after seeing a top notch Neurosurgeon, and Orthopedic surgeon from two of the best medical schools in Philadelphia I was referred to a pain management physician and it is working out very well. Both surgeons agreed that they would never have operated on my spine and that no operation would be appropriate in my case.

You might want to request a copy of the "Physician Operative Report" and check out all of the details of your dad's operation. It's just a thought and it is your right to obtain a copy of that report.

I"m keeping your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us updated.

Jimmy 

Hello Jimmy & welcome to the chronic pain forum. Jimmy, we do ask all new members to make their own intro post so that everyone will see it & be able to give you proper hello & welcome aboard. By posting here on Sunny's thread not many people will see your post.

To start your own thread, look to the left & click Post New Topic, put in a heading & then copy & paste what you have written above that would be perfect for an intro post. Thanks.

In my experience, your father will be up on his feet several times before they will actually address the issue of whether he will need to go to a rehab facility or not.

My very first hospital experience that started my chronic pain was from a hospitalization that was initially started out at a different hospital and with my second abdominal surgery. I was in bed for 19 days straight after the second surgery and everyone thought I would have to go to a rehab facility but I managed to not have to. I did have a little bit of P/T and O/T while still inpatient, but they gave me stuff to do at home that would help also. I could still do most of my adl's by myself with just some help from my husband. Cooking and cleaning was certainly put on hold for me for awhile, but he stepped up and helped out a lot.

If you do not agree with their assessment of your father after he is up and around, then you can always disagree and go to the patient advocate at the hospital.

Hope this helps!
Trudy

So glad to hear you dad is feeling somewhat better. Hopefully now that the leak is repaired his getting up will be a little easier with no more problems. He has had a tough time. Because of his age his recovery may take a little longer than usual & that's ok as long as he is feeling good.

Stress is a killer in my book. It affects our bodies in such a bad way. Now that your dad seems to be doing better, hopefully your stress level will be reduced & you will feel somewhat better.

As Judy mentioned, if the hospital has a patient advocate they can be very helpful to a patient.

Take care.