Hello,

I was recently informed by my orthopedist that I would need back surgery to remove my L4-5 disk, place in a "cage," and fuse the two lumbar. Also, my surgeon would use rods & screws to secure the fusion site. They said that first he'd go on my side and remove the disk, then come in from my back side and do the fusion and placement of hardware. I have been searching the web to try and find a real live video, not a cartoon/dipiction of the surgery. I would like to be as well informed in my decision of having this procedure done, prior to having it done. I was a medic in the Army and am an EMT-I can this video will not frighten me but help educate me in the decision I make. Any ideas or sites available for viewing, I would also pay a fee to view it, unfortunately they don't allow people to watch surgeries unless the surgeon and the patient allows it.

Thanks for the help.

Alicia in Utah

Don't quit looking, I recently watched that same procedure, thinking of having it done, I think it was Mayo clinic or some medical center in Cleveland. Good luck, I'll keep watching also. Check
OR-Live: Online Surgical and Healthcare Video and Webcasts
I think that is where I watched it a few months ago.

Here's a link to a spinal fusion surgery, just need real player on your computerhttp://www.or-live.com/robertwoodjohnson/1242/

Not sure if this is the exact surgery you need but it's informative.