“Kickin’ ever since” after Lumbar Laminectomy with fusion

Over 40 years of standing at work started to take its toll on Brenda Fischbein’s spine.

“It started with pain down both legs,” the 77-year-old Metairie resident said. “I suffered with my back for the last 10 years, and I kept putting it off. It kept getting worse, then it got so bad I couldn’t walk 10 feet. On a scale of one to ten. It was 15.”

She tried pain injections at other medical facilities, but “the pain went away for one day and came right back,” Brenda recalled.

She was referred to LCMC Health Neuroscience Institute in partnership with Culicchia Neurological Clinic. Neurosurgeon John Steck, MD performed a L4-5 Laminectomy with discectomy and interbody fusion, posterolateral fusion at West Jefferson Medical Center.

“Mrs. Fischbein was suffering because she had a bulging disc at the lumbar region and a narrowing of her spinal canal, making things even worse,” Dr. Steck said. “We went into surgery to clean up the disc material impinging on her spine and then fused two vertebrae to provide stability. That provided instant relief by removing the pressure on the nerves in her back.”

Brenda felt better the moment she woke up in recovery. In fact, Brenda walked that night in the hospital, used a cane for the first few weeks, and has been walking without assistance ever since. “I had no pain – not a single pain. I’ve been kicking ever since!” she said.

“I should have gotten surgery much earlier, but I was hardheaded,” Brenda said. “Dr. Steck cured my problem. I can’t say enough about the care and compassion that I received at their office.”