Kevin McLeod has always been active—both in and out of his work.
He trained as both a police deputy and paramedic and worked in the Davis County Sheriff’s Office. He was a flight paramedic with Life Flight for 15 years. In total, his career in law enforcement spanned 40 years. He also spent many years riding horses, golfing, running, biking, playing racquetball, and working out.
Ten years ago, constant back pain forced him to slow down a little bit.
“I had been suffering with back pain for a long time and just got to the point where I was having numbness in my left leg,” McLeod said.
After seven years of worsening back pain, he had an MRI that showed severe deterioration in his spine. He went through a series of injections and nerve blocks to try to get rid of the pain. Nothing seemed to work.
In October 2022, he had a lumbar spine fusion. After surgery, McCleod was optimistic. For six months, he did really well.
“Initially, the surgery was certainly successful,” he said. “But, six months later, my pain continued to get worse again.”
The pain wasn’t located at the fusion site but instead near his superior cluneal nerve.
“My doctor said he wasn’t comfortable doing anything with my cluneal nerve, and that’s when he referred me to Dr. McCormick at University of Utah Health,” McLeod said.
Zachary McCormick, MD, a board-certified specialist in both pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), co-directs the Endoscopic & Percutaneous Spine Program at University of Utah Health. He specializes in minimally invasive treatments for patients with chronic back pain.
McCormick ran several diagnostic tests and procedures to pinpoint the source of the pain, including a radio frequency ablation (RFA). Nothing helped.
“Dr. McCormick did a ton of research to figure out how to help me find some relief,” McLeod said. “He didn’t give up on me at any point.”
McCormick suspected that McLeod’s pain was coming from a different branch nerve than originally suspected by the referring physician. He did another series of successful nerve blocks to pinpoint the specific nerve branch. McLeod now had options. He could do another RFA on the affected nerve, or an endoscopic neurectomy to remove the nerve completely. He opted for an endoscopic neurectomy.
“An endoscopic neurectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses a tiny, seven-millimeter camera to locate and snip the nerve branch on the surface of a spinal (facet) joint responsible for sending pain signals,” McCormick said. “We do not touch the nerves that control power and sensation to the arms or legs. The intention is to very selectively stop pain signaling from the painful joint only. The permanently disconnected nerve can then no longer send pain signals, and patients notice this immediately with typically very minimal soreness following the procedure.”
It’s been 18 months since McLeod’s endoscopic neurectomy, and he hasn’t felt that pain ever since.
“That particular, real severe pain that I was having in that area, Dr. McCormick took care of it,” McLeod said. “The guy is an amazing and very focused doctor .”
“That particular, real severe pain that I was having in that area, Dr. McCormick took care of it,” McLeod said. “The guy is an amazing and very focused doctor.”
McLeod recently had his one-year follow-up appointment.
“The pain that Dr. McCormick focused on has been doing great,” McLeod said. “Unfortunately, I’m now having more severe back pain in other areas of my back.”
Luckily, McCormick continues to explore other pain relief options for McLeod.
“Dr. McCormick is going to do another MRI and that will help him determine the best treatment options,” McLeod said. McCormick added, “After someone has had spinal fusion surgery and has persistent back pain, there are often multiple sources of pain. We address those that seem to be creating the dominant symptoms first, but there is often a need to carefully re-assess contributing diagnoses in these circumstances.”
McLeod continues to be impressed with the care he receives from McCormick and his team.
“I couldn’t have asked for any better,” he said. “Both my wife and I are so impressed with the attention and treatment I’ve received. Everyone I have met at the U is outstanding.”
McLeod still lives an active lifestyle. He hikes and hunts with his dog. He spends time with his wife of 54 years, his four children, his 12 grandchildren, and his two great grandchildren (with another one on the way). He and his wife host Sunday dinner for the entire family every week.
McLeod will turn 72 next month, and even with his ongoing back issues he is optimistic about the possibility of even more pain relief in the future.
“I’m too active, and I’m not that old, I don’t think,” he said. “I know I have to face that fact that I can’t do a lot of what I used to be able to do, but I can still do a lot of things.”