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  • Three week follow up! Help!

    I had surgery three weeks ago in Sioux Falls So. Dak. I had scoliosis and was bent over to the right pretty bad. It was all caused from a previous back surgery on fusing L3/4 4/5 WITH CAGES ,RODS AND SCREWS. EVERYTHING COLLAPSED ABOVE IT. AND I AM NOW FUSED FROM MY PELVIC TO T8. The surgeon said I would have a posture when he was through. And my ribs wouldn't hit my hip bones on my right side. Today the surgeon said that I looked OK as far as my side part goes--but I am leaning forward and they may not have pulled my spine back far enough! I know when I try to walk I tilt forward and down and my back sticks out like a back pack. He doesn't believe in braces. But I am starting to wonder if that not a bad call. I will NOT go through this again. I guess I will see him in another month and see how its going then. Do you suppose my muscle tissue and such just in't healed yet? Or I will need physical therapy later? They havn't mentioned physical therapy. Any one have any idea what would be the reason for this? I am just sick. And he rushed me in and out so fast. Please, any advise appreciated. Thanks! babyboomer16
    Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
    Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
    This started adult onset scoliosis
    July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
    Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
    Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
    May 30th 2013 revision
    May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
    May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

  • #2
    Hi babyboomer. Sorry to hear about your fears. It could simply be that you are very early in your recovery and this may right itself as muscles, some of which are in new places, recover their strength.

    I just did a search "walking tilted forward" and there were some threads there which might be helpful.

    Let us know how you go, because this seems to be a common worry.
    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


    • #3
      Originally posted by babyboomer16 View Post
      I had surgery three weeks ago in Sioux Falls So. Dak. I had scoliosis and was bent over to the right pretty bad. It was all caused from a previous back surgery on fusing L3/4 4/5 WITH CAGES ,RODS AND SCREWS. EVERYTHING COLLAPSED ABOVE IT. AND I AM NOW FUSED FROM MY PELVIC TO T8. The surgeon said I would have a posture when he was through. And my ribs wouldn't hit my hip bones on my right side. Today the surgeon said that I looked OK as far as my side part goes--but I am leaning forward and they may not have pulled my spine back far enough! I know when I try to walk I tilt forward and down and my back sticks out like a back pack. He doesn't believe in braces. But I am starting to wonder if that not a bad call. I will NOT go through this again. I guess I will see him in another month and see how its going then. Do you suppose my muscle tissue and such just in't healed yet? Or I will need physical therapy later? They havn't mentioned physical therapy. Any one have any idea what would be the reason for this? I am just sick. And he rushed me in and out so fast. Please, any advise appreciated. Thanks! babyboomer16
      Oh, CRUM! BabyBoomer, we're running another thread right now which explores this very phenomenon and it started with a member who was also experiencing it soon after surgery. Linda Racine posted some interesting articles on post surgical kyphosis too. You might want to look them up. The topics of walking with a forward tilt and sagittal imbalance have arisen a lot lately - for all I know, it's been rearing its ugly head periodically for years.

      I think I can speak for most of us, saying we're all concerned.
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10884

      I am one of many who is resolving to do Something about it - what, as yet undetermined - to try to avoid this outcome. Choice of surgeon, use (not use?) of walkers after surgery, extra attention to posture in the intensive walking (I intend to use Nordic Walking Poles). I suggest really combing the recent archives and calling the questions raised, to the attention of your surgeon.

      Best of luck! And sorry you too are dealing with this. Clearly, it's a common worry coming out of surgery. (I'm starting to wonder if the frequency is increasing for some reason). Note, though, that there's quite a range of final outcomes and therefore, NO reason to assume the worst!

      OTOH DO CHECK INTO IT IMMEDIATELY AND REFUSE TO BE BLOWN OFF. IMHO A MONTH IS TOO LONG TO WAIT. I took to heart TitaniunEd's story. He reports having really kept up with his surgeon in the first months after surgery, partly to keep on top of just such developments. If anyone did it right, he's the one.

      I wish posters would give names of their surgeons, whether or not the doctor's judgment seems called into question. This forum contains a treasure trove of empirical knowledge presently buried in largely unusable form. ,
      Last edited by Back-out; 07-21-2010, 08:44 PM.
      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


      • #4
        And here's another one with relevance. Note Ed's comments in context.

        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10778
        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


        • #5
          Amanda,

          I never experienced any kind of leaning, whether forward or to the side, even in my early recovery. Sometimes I think too much emphasis is placed on how much correction one gets. My curve was corrected to only 35 degrees but my surgeon did a superb job of building lordosis and balancing my sagittal curves. It’s clearly noticeable from my side profile. My shoulders are back and I have good posture. I just didn’t get a defined waistline. Oh well, guess we can’t have everything.

          Comment


          • #6
            Chris, I think Dr. Gupta and Dr. Rand are of the same belief. Correction is not their main concern especially in us older ladies. Correcting lordosis and sagittal balance is what Dr. Rand did for me and my upper curve has straightened itself out. If I lean forward, it is because I forget to stand up straight. I keep reminding myself and I have asked my hubby to remind me. I don't have much of a waistline anymore either, but being pain free was my goal.

            Babyboomer16, I would guess that your muscles are weak right now and it will take time and or PT to strengthen the muscles you need to stand up straight. My PT started at 6 months post-op. Before then it was walking.
            I wish you well.

            Sally
            Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
            Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
            Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
            Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
            New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
            Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

            "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thank-you

              Thank-you so much for your replies. Every bit of support and encouragment from other people is so important. And it is quite early for me to be worrying. I was told this would be a six month recovery. Havn't been told if I will do any physical therapy or not. But was told to walk-walk-walk. I must quit fretting so much. I am 58 yrs. old. And I really had a pretty bad curve although I wasn't really ever told how bad. Hmmm?I know my ribs were crashing into my hip bone on my right side. And I was off centered everywhere on my body. I will ask next time what degree my curve was. Thanks again! babyboomer16
              Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
              Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
              This started adult onset scoliosis
              July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
              Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
              Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
              May 30th 2013 revision
              May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
              May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

              Comment

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