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fluid leaking from back after lumbar discectomy.
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janet8476 posted:
I had a lumbar discectomy 1 week ago in the L5 S1 region, the operation went fine and my pain was relieved instantly, a few days after the surgery, I started to get an infection in my surgical site,(had staples). I went to the doc and showed him I had an infection, he took out the staples a week early due to the infection, and squeezed the area to get the pus out. My back is way worse today, it is very swollen and when you press your finger into my back above the site, the indent it makes stays there, he put me on antibiotices for 7 days, and perscribed naproxen and T3's. have fever, chills and body aches, anyways I get up to go to the bathroom and I have this discoloured yellowish fluid with a tinge of blood to it,coming out of the wound and it'srunning down mt back. Not just a little but a good little stream. I haven't had any headaches as of yet, but is this something I should be going to emergency for? It scared me a little so i went on the computer and found this site,it seems like from what everyone else has posted,that it might be spinal liquid, but not sure, do you always have headaches with a leak? or what might some of the other symptoms be? if anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated, thanks Janet
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumbar discectomy.I had a lumbar discectomy 1 week ago in the L5 S1 region, the operation went fine and my pain was relieved instantly, a few days after the surgery, I started to get an infection in my surgical site,(had staples). I went to the doc and showed him I had an infection, he took out the staples a week early due to the infection, and squeezed the area to get the pus out. My back is way worse today, it is very swollen and when you press your finger into my back above the site, the indent it makes stays there, he put me on antibiotices for 7 days, and perscribed naproxen and T3's. have fever, chills and body aches, anyways I get up to go to the bathroom and I have this discoloured yellowish fluid with a tinge of blood to it,coming out of the wound and it'srunning down mt back. Not just a little but a good little stream. I haven't had any headaches as of yet, but is this something I should be going to emergency for? It scared me a little so i went on the computer and found this site,it seems like from what everyone else has posted,that it might be spinal liquid, but not sure, do you always have headaches with a leak? or what might some of the other symptoms be? if anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated, thanks Janet
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bj1208 responded:
hi and welcome to the support group -


it sounds as though this doc may not be doing things correctly -


what I would do is go to the ER and get this under control - then I would search and find another spine specialist (Orthopedic Spine Specialist or Neurosurgeon Spine Specialist) and have the review, examine and let you know what needs to be done -


this is a serious infection and you need proper treatment now - so please go to the ER -


please let us know what you find out - take care - Joy
Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumber discectomy.hi and welcome to the support group -<br /><br /><br />it sounds as though this doc may not be doing things correctly -<br /><br /><br />what I would do is go to the ER and get this under control - then I would search and find another spine specialist (Orthopedic Spine Specialist or Neurosurgeon Spine Specialist) and have the review, examine and let you know what needs to be done -<br /><br /><br />this is a serious infection and you need proper treatment now - so please go to the ER -<br /><br /><br />please let us know what you find out - take care - Joy
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mskite responded:
bj gave you some good advice because I had surgery incision on abdamon for cancer and got a terrible staff infection after a few days out of hospital. Aweek aftr surgery I was having ultrasound test on my surgery and radioligist saw infection and called my surge. Staff had started getting very bad and had to fight it for sveral momths. It spread all over my abdamon despite all the meds and was very sore. Finally got it cured. Get your back checked as soon as possible to prevent it from stating staff. Good luck.
Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumber discectomy.bj gave you some good advice because I had surgery incision on abdamon for cancer and got a terrible staff infection after a few days out of hospital. Aweek aftr surgery I was having ultrasound test on my surgery and radioligist saw infection and called my surge. Staff had started getting very bad and had to fight it for sveral momths. It spread all over my abdamon despite all the meds and was very sore. Finally got it cured. Get your back checked as soon as possible to prevent it from stating staff. Good luck.
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Rafael Levin, MD, MSc responded:
My response is late so I am hoping your problem has resolved by now. Based on your description it sounds more like an infection than a CSF leak. By now you may have had blood tests and clinical follow up to confirm and treat the infection early. The key to avoid complications from a superficial infection is early aggressive treatment. Sometime that means anti-biotics only, and in other cases, a surgical debridment is necessary.
Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumbar discectomy.My response is late so I am hoping your problem has resolved by now. Based on your description it sounds more like an infection than a CSF leak. By now you may have had blood tests and clinical follow up to confirm and treat the infection early. The key to avoid complications from a superficial infection is early aggressive treatment. Sometime that means anti-biotics only, and in other cases, a surgical debridment is necessary.
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mskite responded:
Janet. let us know how you are doing.
Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumbar discectomy.Janet. let us know how you are doing.
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An_248738 responded:
hello Janet,
My husband just had this and the same thing happened to him. A week later ,he had a fever of 105.7 and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. He had one staple taken out, then high fevers, convulsions, He's in ICU with e-coli infection in his blood and spinal fluid leak...
I'd advise you to go to the hospital and get checked out, if you do have a spinal fluid leak it could be dangerous.

Hope this helped you
Report This| Share this:fluid leaking from back after lumbar discectomy.hello Janet,<br />My husband just had this and the same thing happened to him. A week later ,he had a fever of 105.7 and was rushed to hospital by ambulance. He had one staple taken out, then high fevers, convulsions, He's in ICU with e-coli infection in his blood and spinal fluid leak...<br />I'd advise you to go to the hospital and get checked out, if you do have a spinal fluid leak it could be dangerous.<br /><br />Hope this helped you
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