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Pre surgery visit, not sure if I should feel disappointed

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  • Pre surgery visit, not sure if I should feel disappointed

    Hi Everyone,

    This has been torture with the forum down. Went to see surgeon Friday bringing in MRI films and he had the xrays his office took.

    I guess where my spine is the most curved on top, several of the bones have fused.

    Carrying on the pledge to do no harm, he thinks he can only correct up to 50 percent because he does not feel it is right to break the bones...and potentially cause some problems with nerves or spinal cord.

    I asked about rib hump, would that go away. He tried pressing down on them and said they were misshaped and the way to lose the hump would be to cut them and he feels that could lead to problems breathing and would be much more painful for me.

    I am disappointed but realize his goal is to try to straighten as much as possible and stop the curve and rotation from getting worse. So many of you don't have the rib hump anymore.

    Is my surgeon being a lot more conservative than other surgeons?

    I am in a quandary.
    Discovered scoliosis when 15 years old.
    Wore Milwaulkee Brace for 1.5 years.
    Top curve 85 degrees, bottom curve 60 degrees

    Surgery completed August 23, 2011 (during an earthquake, can you believe that?)
    Dr. Charles Edwards, II
    The Spine Center at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, MD
    Before and after xrays:
    http://www.valley-designs.com/myspine

  • #2
    Conservative is good. I didn't get much of a correction because of osteopenia. Is this your first opinion?
    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.

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    • #3
      Thank you Sally about bringing up the osteopenia, yes, I have that in my hips where they did the bone density test...although my wrist and arm were fine (probably thanks to the 60 lb dogs I show for a hobby).

      That was another factor...he will have to watch how much pressure to put die to the osteopenia...but it sounds like going conservatively maybe I will bounce back more quickly.
      Discovered scoliosis when 15 years old.
      Wore Milwaulkee Brace for 1.5 years.
      Top curve 85 degrees, bottom curve 60 degrees

      Surgery completed August 23, 2011 (during an earthquake, can you believe that?)
      Dr. Charles Edwards, II
      The Spine Center at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, MD
      Before and after xrays:
      http://www.valley-designs.com/myspine

      Comment

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