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  • Back home at last!

    Had my surgery Friday June 18. Took almost 10 hours from what I was told. I had a 90 degree curve and the doctor took it down to 26 degrees The best part is that I am 4 whole inches taller They didn't use titanium like I was told. He used steel harrington rods so he could wire me for a better correction. They sent me to a rehab center the following Friday and let me go home today. Its still very painful, especially the anterior portion and I am swollen and numb in that area. I am surprised I am getting around so well. When would I expect the swelling to go down?
    Leanna
    32 yrs. old
    surgery scheduled for 06/18/10
    90* pre-op
    23* post-op

  • #2
    So great to hear what a fantastic correction you got - that is AWESOME!!! My swelling took about six weeks to go down after a posterior surgery. I wish you a smooth wonderful recovery, glad you're home!
    Lynette - 44 years old.

    Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
    Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

    Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
    Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

    Surgery April 1st 2010.

    Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
    Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

    Comment


    • #3
      Leanna,--Congratulations! Four inches is amazing. I think Lynette is probably right. It is so gradual with the swelling, I don't really remember. Hope the healing goes well. 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


      • #4
        Glad you're back--congrats on the awesome correction!!! We were all wondering about you. Are you sure they used Harrington rods? They can use steel rods & screws, just like the titanium ones. Wow--four inches! How tall are you now? And who did the surgery?

        Congrats again!

        Evelyn
        age 48
        80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
        Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
        Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
        Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
        Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

        Comment


        • #5
          My goodness; you must feel like you're on stilts. It's amazing what they can do with young spines. Would love to see the before and after. Congrats!

          Comment


          • #6
            That's an amazing story. Congratulations Leanna! Being so much taller must be great! Hope your recovery goes smoothly. Enjoy your new body!
            Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
            Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
            T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
            Osteotomies and Laminectomies
            Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

            Comment


            • #7
              I was 5'2'' before surgery. Now Im 5'6''. The tallest I have ever been was 5'5''. It feels like I am looking out someone elses eyes when I walk around. My fantastic team of doctors is Dr. Paul Pagano assissted by Dr. David Thomas for my anterior. They are truely amazing. I was very skeptical of them before surgery because of lack of information, but they have been so caring and all seems to be well. The hospital and the rehab spoke so greatly of Pagano. They all told me if they had to have surgery they would choose him to do it. No wonder there was such a long wait to see him
              Leanna
              32 yrs. old
              surgery scheduled for 06/18/10
              90* pre-op
              23* post-op

              Comment


              • #8
                Leanna,
                Congratulations! 4 inches-WOW! I'm glad things are going well!
                Karen

                Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
                Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
                70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
                Rib Hump-GONE!
                Age-60 at the time of surgery
                Now 66
                Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
                Retired Kdgn. Teacher

                See photobucket link for:
                Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
                Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
                tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
                http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

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                • #9
                  Wonderful news! Glad you are home!
                  36 year young cardiac RN
                  old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
                  new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
                  Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
                  Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
                  and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    That's just fabulous Leanna. It must be incredible to walk around your house and find you're suddenly able to reach into the top cupboards!

                    I used to be 5' 6 1/2" and now I'm measuring in at 5' 2 1/2" - 3" . I experience just the opposite all the time - "hey, I didn't realize that pantry was out of reach". I'm the person people stand next to, to feel tall if they're behind in their adolescent growth spurt, or they're starting to shrink in Muddle Age!

                    What a dream come true, THAT must be! Where did he get the height from? Thoracic, lumbar or both? (Or - hey! - Did he just stretch those legs a little the way they're doing surgically in China lately? )

                    No kidding, did the stainless steel help achieve those results? I wouldn't mind being a bit magnetic to get some of that back...Of course, I'd have to be sure of using my Israeli passport to visit, with all the alarms I'd otherwise set off in "Bitakhon"!

                    Congratulations!!!
                    Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
                    Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
                    main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
                    Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I am totally jealous. I need an extra 4 inches. I went from 5'2 1/2" to 5 foot nothing. I guess if my scoli curve had been straightened I would have gained height but he didn't do that. He just aligned me so that I could stand up straight and not tilt over. Maybe next time....
                      avis
                      1987 Lumbar Laminectomy (forget which levels)
                      2005 A/P fusion, L2 - L5, 2/2005
                      2009 2 Posterior fusions, T6 - Pelvis, 2/10 & 2/18,
                      Dr. Frank Rand, NEBH

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Leanna,
                        It is so good to hear a great success story from a surgeon other than Lenke. It just shows that there are so many other surgeons out there that people just have not heard of. I'm glad you did well and hope you continue to recover uneventfully :-)
                        May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

                        March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

                        January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Reply to Leanna

                          Leanna,
                          First off, welcome home to you! Sure it feels much better to be at home. I see that you had a significant curve. My 15 yr old DD son, also has sig curve plus rotation. Dr. is recommending front back procedure...two surgeries within a week or two of each other...also 8+ hours each. Was wondering if you had two. He will also be using harrington rods. -Kerry, NY

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by kammckillop View Post
                            Leanna,
                            First off, welcome home to you! Sure it feels much better to be at home. I see that you had a significant curve. My 15 yr old DD son, also has sig curve plus rotation. Dr. is recommending front back procedure...two surgeries within a week or two of each other...also 8+ hours each. Was wondering if you had two. He will also be using harrington rods. -Kerry, NY
                            I did have two surgeries also, anterior and posterior. They were going to do them a day apart but decided to go through with them in one day. He had another surgeon there to help with the anterior procedure. I was expecting around 13-14 hours, but it only took a little under 10 hours. Hats off to my surgeons
                            Last edited by Leanna; 07-02-2010, 08:57 AM. Reason: spelling
                            Leanna
                            32 yrs. old
                            surgery scheduled for 06/18/10
                            90* pre-op
                            23* post-op

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              What a success story, Leanna! Congratulations. Great that you found the right Dr. and did this while you were still young. Best wishes for continued health and healing!!


                              Anne in PA
                              Age 58
                              Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
                              T4 to sacrum fusion
                              63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
                              Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
                              Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !

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