The trouble with researching back problems and possible solutions is that you unearth an ever-larger can of worms. Today I was pointed to 2 articles (the most recent this month) in New York published newspapers which have discovered that many spine surgeons are investors in manufacturing companies making the screws, rods and artificial discs which augment the final bills for patients hugely. Typically a single screw in a fusion operation can be billed at 1000$ when it costs only 50$ at most to make. That on top of other research which throws light on the doubtful voracity of the results of so-called clinical trials which ignore bad outcomes from dozens of failed operations which then allow a particular device to receive a good rating. Take a look!
http://www.backpainsupportgroup.com/cgi-local/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012149
http://www.backpainsupportgroup.com/cgi-local/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012150
It never rains but pours!
I’m appalled that my GP seems not to have read the consultant radiographer’s report on my 28th Dec 2008 MRI lumbar scan (which I only caught sight of yesterday) at the end of which he records that close to one of my vertebrae he can see a soft tissue lesion 5mm in size which he suggests is probably a neuroma and should be “looked into further”. It is currently deflecting a bunch of nerves. A quick look on the net tells me that neuromas can be cancerous or benign so I’ve written to her and requested the finding should be referred to my local NHS hospital pronto!