Hi, I'm new to the forum. My daughter is 18 and we were recently told she needs surgery. We have been hoping to avoid surgery but her curve has progressed to a Cobb right thoracic 62 degrees. Fusion is recommended from T1 to L1. We are looking for spinal specialists in Massachusetts. Insurance company has denied Dr.Emans at Boston Childrens. We were told of Dr. Mortimer at UMASS Medical, however he is not on the scoliosis foundation of spinal specialists and less than 50% of his practice is spinal surgery, we are not sure how much of that is scoliosis surgery. We want to use a spinal deformity specialist instead of a general orthopedic surgeon as our insurance is directing us. At 18, has anyone used an adult scoliosis surgeon? Also can anyone who has had a similar fusion tell me about your limitations and any loss of mobility. I am also curious about what happens to the ribs after the surgery, is there significant pain as a result of the straightened spine? So glad we have found this site, so many questions already answered.
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Hi there,
I would fight your insurance company tooth and nail to get your daughter a spinal deformity specialist. I would never allow a general ortho to do such an important surgery on my child. Period. An adult scoliosis specialist may well be fine, as long as they are SRS (or SRS qualified) and devote their practice to spinal deformity surgery.
I would fight for Dr Emans or his partner Dr Hresko. Dr Hresko did a very successful surgery on the son of a family I know, and they speak very highly of him.
Good luck, and don't give up.Gayle, age 50
Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1
mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
2017 curves stable/skeletely mature
also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable
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I agree with Gayle.
I don't get why they are denying you a spine specialist. I highly doubt the various flavors within orthopedic surgery have radically different costs. So I can't imagine why they are micromanaging your choice of surgeons.Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
Answer: Medicine
"We are all African."
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insurance appeal
We started the appeal process with the insurance company today. Luckily, Sarah's pediatrician is very involved and proactive and shares our decision to use only a SRS surgeon. We also have a friend whose daughter had a very positive surgical outcome with Dr. Emans. We all feel very comfortable with him as well as the hospital. Honestly,if the surgery is not nerve-racking enough we have to be held hostage by the insurance company! Has anyone else experienced this problem? Jacquie
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