Back Issues :: Laser Spine Fusion - Review? Feedback?

Having dealt with lower back pain for 20 something years and having had all the therapies the doctors could throw at me (traction, aqua therapy - read hot tub- inversion table, multiple PT sessions, electrical stimulation, po narcotics, epidural steroidal injections and more). It has now come to the point that surgery is the next option.

My spinal surgeon wants to fuse L2 to the sacrum due to multi-level disc bulging and herniation at the end of April 2014.

Then people have steered me in the direction of what Laser Spine Institute can do and I actually have approval from insurance to have treatment there and the process of getting treated there is also underway parallel to the above mentioned surgery.

So my dilemma is what to do. LSI offers what seems to be a minimally invasive, faster recovery option, but with newer technology that is not necessarily proved to give long lasting results.

On the other hand a full lumbar traditional fusion statistically gives relief to 30%, 30% get worse and 30% stay the same as for pain relief and with a 3-6months recover. And once you get fused like that, you paint yourself way into a corner if it is not an improvement for you.

The traditional surgeon does not have much good to say about LSI, but I am thinking of course he is not going to recommend that since he does the traditional approach.

Doing the LSI treatment does not exclude a traditional fusion later, however we have great insurance now, with great short term disability coverage and now is the ideal time to do a traditional fusion and be able to have the months of recovery without worries.

Reading about LSI people have varied opinions, many people say they have had great results and others say they are a quackery out to get people's money. Our insurance have said they would cover treatment though.

Don't know what to do.

Does anyone have experience with someone getting lumbar spine treatment at LSI and what was the experience.