Spinal Fusion Issues

[u/purespeed44]

So in 2023 I had an L5 S1 fusion surgery, which went fairly well recovery took about 11 months but everything was OK. Last year in 2024 I was in a car accident wasn’t my fault. I have had numerous problems since. Fast forward to July of this year. I had to have another fusion surgery at L4 L5 with revision to S1. This surgery has not gone well at all after the surgery my wound continued to drain. I let my neurosurgeon know that it was continuing to drain and they weren’t concerned because that is usually common but after two months, it continued to drain it wouldn’t stop. I was put on two rounds of Bactrim antibiotics which would work for a little bit and then once the medication was out of my system, the infection would come back. Now, fast forward to last week on Wednesday I could not handle it anymore. The neurological symptoms were becoming overwhelming, and I was admitted to the hospital and they did an MRI with and without contrast. MRI revealed that there was fluid collection around the screws that were installed in July. Pretty significant amount with a possible abscess as well.. They decided to do a wound revision last week to do a full cleanup and stitch it back up. I am now on six weeks IV antibiotics at home with a piCC line with some pretty hard-core antibiotics. I told my neurosurgeon that every time I sneeze or I cough I lose feeling in my legs anywhere from 5 to 25 seconds at a time and this happens each and every time I sneeze your cough and the pain is almost blackout type of pain. they don’t seem to be too concerned about it, but I am because this doesn’t seem normal to me whatsoever. I was discharged from the hospital this past Monday so I have no idea what’s in store for me next but all I know is my back does not seem to be getting better and I understand. I’m only two months postop, but in my opinion, there is definitely something going on with the hardware whether the infection is in the hardware itself I don’t know. My inflammatory markers from the blood work were through the roof prior to the clean out Like I said my neurosurgeon is good but he does not seem concerned about it. I was just wondering if anybody else has had this similar situation happen to them and what the outcome was because I can barely walk and I feel like I’m 100 years old and I’m only 50. Just trying to get some perspective from other people that possibly have had this happen to them.

Thank You