Lumbar Spinal Fusion?

[SteveVolberding]

Hello to all!
Is there any recent info on diving after a lumbar(L4-5/L5-S1) fusion surgery?
I see some posts with positive results for cervical fusions but I'm not sure if that would be the same with lumbar?

 

[Brant Emery]

I had mine done over 15 years ago, now I dive more than ever. You just have to do your PT and continue doing it.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You should follow Pete's thread. Pete is the Owner of ScubaBoard. Let me find a link.

Thread 'My back surgery...'

May 29, 2024

We don't have a perfect place for this thread, so I'm putting it in Greets and Meets. No, I'm not special, but it seems that a lot of people want to wish me well, lend some advice (always welcome), and want feedback on what's happening. ScubaBoard has impacted a lot of lives and still does, so I guess the wellbeing of its owner is relevant...

Backstory, I've always had a strong back and some say it goes with a week mind. Humph! I've paddled a canoe for about 4,500 miles in my lifetime, which has given me a strong back, strong arms, and a strong heart. I am bradycardic (pulse...

• The Chairman
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• Forum: Introductions & Greets

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[atestani]

Hello to all!
Is there any recent info on diving after a lumbar(L4-5/L5-S1) fusion surgery?
I see some posts with positive results for cervical fusions but I'm not sure if that would be the same with lumbar?

Have you already had this done?

 

[SteveVolberding]

You should follow Pete's thread. Pete is the Owner of ScubaBoard. Let me find a link.

Thread 'My back surgery...'

May 29, 2024

We don't have a perfect place for this thread, so I'm putting it in Greets and Meets. No, I'm not special, but it seems that a lot of people want to wish me well, lend some advice (always welcome), and want feedback on what's happening. ScubaBoard has impacted a lot of lives and still does, so I guess the wellbeing of its owner is relevant...

Backstory, I've always had a strong back and some say it goes with a week mind. Humph! I've paddled a canoe for about 4,500 miles in my lifetime, which has given me a strong back, strong arms, and a strong heart. I am bradycardic (pulse...

• The Chairman
• Replies: 625
• Forum: Introductions & Greets

• 
• 
• 

Thread 'My back surgery...'

May 29, 2024

We don't have a perfect place for this thread, so I'm putting it in Greets and Meets. No, I'm not special, but it seems that a lot of people want to wish me well, lend some advice (always welcome), and want feedback on what's happening. ScubaBoard has impacted a lot of lives and still does, so I guess the wellbeing of its owner is relevant...

Backstory, I've always had a strong back and some say it goes with a week mind. Humph! I've paddled a canoe for about 4,500 miles in my lifetime, which has given me a strong back, strong arms, and a strong heart. I am bradycardic (pulse...

• The Chairman
• Replies: 625
• Forum: Introductions & Greets

• 
• 
• 

Have you already had this done?

No. I've tried everything, including a "minimally invasive" procedure last year that put me in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down for 9 weeks. The surgeon that got me out of that mess says the fusion is what I need. I trust the guy 100% but it's still scary. I'm looking at scheduling surgery in a few months.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Thread 'My back surgery...'

May 29, 2024

We don't have a perfect place for this thread, so I'm putting it in Greets and Meets. No, I'm not special, but it seems that a lot of people want to wish me well, lend some advice (always welcome), and want feedback on what's happening. ScubaBoard has impacted a lot of lives and still does, so I guess the wellbeing of its owner is relevant...

Backstory, I've always had a strong back and some say it goes with a week mind. Humph! I've paddled a canoe for about 4,500 miles in my lifetime, which has given me a strong back, strong arms, and a strong heart. I am bradycardic (pulse...

• The Chairman
• Replies: 625
• Forum: Introductions & Greets

• 
• 
• 

No. I've tried everything, including a "minimally invasive" procedure last year that put me in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down for 9 weeks. The surgeon that got me out of that mess says the fusion is what I need. I trust the guy 100% but it's still scary. I'm looking at scheduling surgery in a few months.

You've been through a lot. I hope this surgery is able to resolve things for you.

Recovery from spinal surgery is individual. Of primary concern would be your ability to tolerate the weight of dive gear on your back. If there's any circulatory impairment to the spine in that area, theoretically there could be an increased risk of impaired off-gassing.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[atestani]

Thread 'My back surgery...'

May 29, 2024

We don't have a perfect place for this thread, so I'm putting it in Greets and Meets. No, I'm not special, but it seems that a lot of people want to wish me well, lend some advice (always welcome), and want feedback on what's happening. ScubaBoard has impacted a lot of lives and still does, so I guess the wellbeing of its owner is relevant...

Backstory, I've always had a strong back and some say it goes with a week mind. Humph! I've paddled a canoe for about 4,500 miles in my lifetime, which has given me a strong back, strong arms, and a strong heart. I am bradycardic (pulse...

• The Chairman
• Replies: 625
• Forum: Introductions & Greets

• 
• 
• 

No. I've tried everything, including a "minimally invasive" procedure last year that put me in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down for 9 weeks. The surgeon that got me out of that mess says the fusion is what I need. I trust the guy 100% but it's still scary. I'm looking at scheduling surgery in a few months.

So you tried the MILD procedure and it went badly? Sorry to hear that.

 

[Nancy5972]

I had mine done over 15 years ago, now I dive more than ever. You just have to do your PT and continue doing it.

I'm not the person who started the thread but I've been looking for information for my daughter. She had several operations in her early teens for scoliosis. When they put the chest tune in her lung collapsed. She is 39 now. Did that happen to you. My husband had a collapsed lung die to broken ribs and a DAN doctor told him absolutely no diving. So he freedives. That hasn't caused him any issues. I keep hearing about people diving after a collapsed lung and she just spent a week visiting us in bonairevand was snorkelling. She would love to try it but I want to make sure it's ok. Dan gave me some doctors to see but I know if I send her to the same one my husband went to its a no.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I'm not the person who started the thread but I've been looking for information for my daughter. She had several operations in her early teens for scoliosis. When they put the chest tune in her lung collapsed. She is 39 now. Did that happen to you. My husband had a collapsed lung die to broken ribs and a DAN doctor told him absolutely no diving. So he freedives. That hasn't caused him any issues. I keep hearing about people diving after a collapsed lung and she just spent a week visiting us in bonairevand was snorkelling. She would love to try it but I want to make sure it's ok. Dan gave me some doctors to see but I know if I send her to the same one my husband went to its a no.

Hi @Nancy5972 ,

There is a difference between a traumatic pneumothorax or pneumothorax as a surgical complication as your husband and daughter (respectively) had, and a spontaneous pneumothorax.

Out of curiosity, what reason did the provider give for not clearing your husband to dive? For someone with a history of traumatic pneumothorax, we'd obtain chest imaging and look for scarring in the affected lung that could lead to air trapping. If there was no evidence of air trapping on imaging, we'd typically clear the person to dive provided they were otherwise healthy.

With your daughter, it might depend on exactly what caused her lung to collapse, but diving would not be out of the question for her, provided there's no evidence of air trapping on imaging and she is otherwise healthy.

Spontaneous pneumothorax has historically been a hard "no" for diving, but even that has loosened up a bit over the years and some providers are clearing divers on a case-by-case basis.

Can you share exactly where you are in Canada? Please feel free to DM if you don't want to post publicly.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Nancy5972]

Hi @Nancy5972 ,

There is a difference between a traumatic pneumothorax or pneumothorax as a surgical complication as your husband and daughter (respectively) had, and a spontaneous pneumothorax.

Out of curiosity, what reason did the provider give for not clearing your husband to dive? For someone with a history of traumatic pneumothorax, we'd obtain chest imaging and look for scarring in the affected lung that could lead to air trapping. If there was no evidence of air trapping on imaging, we'd typically clear the person to dive provided they were otherwise healthy.

With your daughter, it might depend on exactly what caused her lung to collapse, but diving would not be out of the question for her, provided there's no evidence of air trapping on imaging and she is otherwise healthy.

Spontaneous pneumothorax has historically been a hard "no" for diving, but even that has loosened up a bit over the years and some providers are clearing divers on a case-by-case basis.

Can you share exactly where you are in Canada? Please feel free to DM if you don't want to post publicly.

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks so much for replying. My husbands was a hockey accident where he took a hit and fell on his stick breaking his ribs and later that night he could hear this funny noise when he laid down...



One guy we talked to said that freediving is more dangerous and he has been doing that for over 10 years. I think he likes freediving so he is ok with not diving.



As I recall from her surgeries, they put a chest tube in and after she had to use a device that you blew into. I kind of understand that this was a normal thing that happens with long surgeries. It was over 20 years ago so it's kind of foggy.



She lives in Toronto now and we are in Eastern Ontario.



And just to take advantage of your knowledge, I also have a 41 year old son who has an ICD implant. His heart stopped suddenly at work when he was 32. He had to be defibrillated and spent 12 days in hospital but they vould find no issues with his heart. THE ICD was implanted just in case. Thoughts on whether he should dive. He's very fit. He works as a land survey technician.



I would sure love it if someone in my family could be my dive buddy but not if it's dangerous.