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Has anyone had front/back procedure? 14yrs old dd son facing this and can't find anyo

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  • Has anyone had front/back procedure? 14yrs old dd son facing this and can't find anyo

    Can't find anyone who has a similar situation. Our son is 14 yr, with sig DD, MR, low tone etc (chromosonal deletion) with very sig curve (approaching 100) and rotation, with hump. He is still walking, but needs assistance. Just so worried about him making it through two longggg surgeries, and blood transfusions, bone grafting, and everything that goes with it. Not even 100% sure of everything that goes with it.

  • #2
    Hi...

    A/P surgery is relatively common in adults. It's also common in kids who are skeletally immature (which your son almost certainly is). Research has shown that if a skeletally immature child's spine is fused from only the back, the spine will rotate because it will continue to grow in the front part of the spine, while the back won't be able to grow (because of the fusion). The phenomenon is call crankshafting. When both the front and the back of the spine are fused, this issue is avoided.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi, I had ant/post surgeries 6 days apart, I'm T-1 tt L-5. Linda always gives very knowledgable advise. If she doesn't know she knows someone that does.

      I was 45 yrs, and your son being young. he should heal quite well.

      My best of luck to you and him, lots of prayers coming your way as well....Shari

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi, i had ant/post done at the same surgery. It took 6&1/2 hours. I only lost 1 litree of blood and had 300ml returned to me via cellsaver. I got up and took a few steps the next day in the am and by early evening, i was able to venture around the hospitals halls as long as i had someone with me. I was 44 at the time of surgery and as Shari has said the young ones bounce back quicker. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Best wishes.
        Vali
        44 years young! now 45
        Surgery - June 1st, 2009
        Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
        St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
        Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
        Post -op - 5 degrees
        T11 - S1 Posterior
        L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion

        Comment


        • #5
          Hello, I had an ant/pos procedure on my thoracic curve when I was ten. As Linda says, it is important to prevent crankshafting. My thoracic curve is one solid block of bone as it's fused front and back, and it hasn't moved an inch since then (I'm 34 now) The anterior release procedure is also generally done for very stiff or large curves, which mine was.

          I also had an ant/pos surgery on my lumbar curve when I was 18, as that too had got very large and inflexible. They had left it unfused when I was 10 in order to allow me to grow more.

          Good luck to your son!

          Comment


          • #6
            My son had his surgery just after turning 15 at which time his curve was beyond 80*. He was skeletally immature but had only the posterior surgery. He has since developed crankshafting and his ridhump, which was virtually gone after surgery, has returned to at least the same degree as before surgery maybe even more. This presents, at this time, no problems to him. He has no pain and although he looks visibly distorted he does not seem to be bothered by this. But I don't know yet if the future will present any problems because of the crankshafting. I sometimes wonder if maybe he should have had anterior surgery too.
            If you haven't yet done so I would get another opinion on his situation if only for reasurrance that it is the best option for him.
            Best of luck
            Ramona
            mom of Patrick, age 15 at time of surgery
            diagnosed July 2006 curves T58 L 38

            Nov. 2006 curves T72 L38
            also lordoscoliosis

            feb.2007 curves T79 L43

            Surgery May 16 2007
            fused T4 to L1

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            • #7
              Linda--
              Is crankshafting just in kids? My doctor does the front with the reach around method but that is just in the lumbar for cages, etc. & then does the posterior. I'm wondering about the rib hump issue with me which does seem to have increased in the last few months. Thanks. Janet
              Janet

              61 years old--57 for surgery

              Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
              Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
              Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
              Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
              T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

              All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Doodles View Post
                Linda--
                Is crankshafting just in kids? My doctor does the front with the reach around method but that is just in the lumbar for cages, etc. & then does the posterior. I'm wondering about the rib hump issue with me which does seem to have increased in the last few months. Thanks. Janet
                Yes, just kids.

                Anterior/posterior surgery in adults is done for entirely different reasons.

                --Linda
                Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                Comment

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