Question:

Cervical Disc Fusion Surgery Complications. <br>Two months ago I had Cervical Discectomy and

by Guest789  |  earlier

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Two months ago I had Cervical Discectomy and Fusion at C6-C7. &#160;Upon waking from surgery I was hoarse and had blurred vision in my left eye. &#160;I thought these were short term reactions to the surgery. &#160;About a week after the surgery, I noticed that my left eyelid was drooping and my left pupil was smaller than the right. &#160;My vision in my left eye was still blurred to the point that I was not able to read the newspaper articles. &#160;I called the neurosurgeons office to report the drooping eyelid and constricted pupil. &#160;I talked to the doctor&#39;s assistant and she said that the nerves had been moved during surgery and I probably had Horner&#39;s Syndrome. &#160;She said that that doesn&#39;t happen very often but that it usually goes away in 3-6 months. &#160;In the mean time, I saw a Ear-Nose-Throat doctor and he noticed my hoarse voice. &#160;He tested my vocal cords and noted that the left one was paralyzed. &#160;He asked me to return in three weeks and he tested them again. &#160;The Left vocal cord was still paralyzed. &#160;He said that the laryngeal nerve was pinched during the cervical surgery and seemed quite upset and said he does surgery in that area of the neck &quot;all the time&quot; and has NEVER caused an injury like that. &#160;He wants me to return in three months to see if the vocal cord is still paralyzed.

I work in a school and need my eyes and voice for teaching. &#160;It has been over two months since the surgery and I still can&#39;t project my voice and I am still having trouble with eye fatigue, although the vision has returned, my eye feels like it has something in it all the time and is sensitive to light. &#160;People ask me all the time what is wrong with my eye, or tell me that I look tired. &#160;I get worn out, after speaking to a class of students for only a short period.

Do I have any recourse? &#160;What should I do? &#160;

 Tags: cervical, Complications, disc, fusion, surgery

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1 ANSWERS

  1. Mitchel

    Cervical spinal fusion is usually successful in relieving symptoms, but complications sometimes occur. Repeat surgery is sometimes needed to address complications or recurrence.
    Possible complications include injury to your spinal cord, nerves, esophagus, carotid artery or vocal cords; non-healing of the bony fusion; failure to improve; instrumentation breakage and/or failure; infection; bone graft site pain. Any of these complications may lead to more surgery.

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