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  • #1

    Possible metalwork removal

    I had a visit to my surgeon yesterday because I'm still getting this digging, pressing in feeling in the centre of my back. He said my metalwork is quite close to the surface and that along with having zero fat in the middle of my back this is what's causing my pain. He said if this is still a problem when I'm 2 1/2yrs post op I will have to make a decision on whether to have it removed. He said he can't just take the protruding screws out the whole lot will have to come out. I'm 21mths post op now so I'm not holding out much hope that things will improve further.

    I will have to decide whether to live with it and cope by using painkillers and not over doing it-that's my downfall, I tend to do too much. Some days aren't so bad, but those are the days when I don't really do a lot. I really don't want further surgery if I can avoid it and I never expected to be pain free anyway.

    Has anyone had anything similar and did it improve with time?
    Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Hi Bluestone

    Our outcomes sound very alike - I have sent you a PM.

    Vicky

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    • #3
      Do you know what brand of implants you have Bluestone?
      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

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      • #4
        Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
        Do you know what brand of implants you have Bluestone?
        No I don't-all I know is they are titanium.
        Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10

        Comment

        • #5
          I have that feeling, but I'm only five months post-op. So, still hoping it gets betee with time. Constantly feels like I'm wearing an uncomfortable brace. (Sure wish I could take it off sometime!) My concern with a metal remover procedure would be: will it really remove the pain? I get the feeling mine is more from the shape of my back, than the metal, per se. But I really don't know. Best wishes!!
          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.

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          • #6
            I'm still hoping things could improve more-we have to have hope!

            I'm wondering if my surgeons trying to put off doing anything yet because he's seeing if things improve. I can honestly say the feeling isn't as bad as it was say 6mths ago so that's a good thing.

            I definately had this and it was worse at 5mths pst op so you have plenty of time for things to get better.
            Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10

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            • #7
              Bluestone- I am sorry to hear your problem has not resolved. I am now 14 mos. post op and still have the same symptoms as you do. Did your surgeon say hardware removal would definately fix the problem? Is he concerned about losing correction? My surgeon said it helps for some people, but not everyone.

              Linda- Do certain types of hardware cause this problem more than others? Have you seen pts. have their hardware removed for this reason, and if so, did it help? Thanks for your input. It is really hard to take such a major step without any assurance that it would help. I too am hoping it will resolve with time.
              Lori in PA, 52 yrs. old
              T54/L72
              Surgery 6/7/11, T3-S1, all posterior, with pelvic anchors
              Gained 2 inches!
              Dr. Boachie, HSS, NYC
              12/10/13 Hardware Removal for infection
              Lost 2", gained PJK!

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Lorz View Post
                Bluestone- I am sorry to hear your problem has not resolved. I am now 14 mos. post op and still have the same symptoms as you do. Did your surgeon say hardware removal would definately fix the problem? Is he concerned about losing correction? My surgeon said it helps for some people, but not everyone.

                Linda- Do certain types of hardware cause this problem more than others? Have you seen pts. have their hardware removed for this reason, and if so, did it help? Thanks for your input. It is really hard to take such a major step without any assurance that it would help. I too am hoping it will resolve with time.
                Hi Lori-sorry to hear your having the same problems.
                I actually spoke with my surgeons secretary yesterday about my concerns with being left until May. She called back today after speaking with him and he said he still won't see me until May because he doesn't want to take any chances with my fusion because if he does I could end up back to square one. He is referring me to pain management in the hope it will help until something can be done.

                My surgeon hasn't discussed the implications of removing my metalwork in depth but he seems certain that is what is causing my pain because of the lack of fat in the centre of my back which is where most of my pain is-I can feel 5 screws and it 'indents' in a lot.
                Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10

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                • #9
                  I felt the hardwear well into the third year! Thankfully it is no longer a problem. I do feel it at times but it just reminds me I am doing to much.
                  Patty 51 years old
                  Surgery May 23, 2007(43 Birthday)
                  Posterior T3- L4
                  Pre surgery curves
                  T-53degrees
                  L-38degrees
                  and a severe side shift to the right.
                  Post surgery curves
                  Less than 10 degrees
                  Surgery April, 2006
                  C4 - C6

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by sccrm08 View Post
                    I felt the hardwear well into the third year! Thankfully it is no longer a problem. I do feel it at times but it just reminds me I am doing to much.
                    Thank you for that, it gives me hope that there's still chance it could settle.
                    Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by sccrm08 View Post
                      I felt the hardwear well into the third year! Thankfully it is no longer a problem. I do feel it at times but it just reminds me I am doing to much.
                      Yes, thank you. It gives me hope also. When you say you felt the hardware, can you describe how it felt? Thanks!
                      Lori in PA, 52 yrs. old
                      T54/L72
                      Surgery 6/7/11, T3-S1, all posterior, with pelvic anchors
                      Gained 2 inches!
                      Dr. Boachie, HSS, NYC
                      12/10/13 Hardware Removal for infection
                      Lost 2", gained PJK!

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Hardware Removed

                        In my research prior to surgery, I read that the rods could actually be removed once everything fuses. However, the normal course of action is for them to not be removed because it means an additional surgery so the docs leave them in our backs.

                        I'm only about 11 weeks post-op and am a thin person so when I lean back against a chair back or even a pillow right now, I feel all kinds of things in my back. It's crazy because I don't even know what I'm feeling half the time. I've wondered if it is the rods that I'm feeling but sometimes it feels more in the shape of a rectangular than rods that go up and down my back. Fortunately I don't have any pain from it so I haven't concerned myself too much. It's just odd not knowing what you are feeling sometimes or why you are feeling what you do.

                        I pray that your pain goes away in time and that you will not have to have the hardware removed.

                        Marjorie
                        Marjorie

                        Surgery in 2 phases, May 17 & May 22, 2012
                        Prior to surgery: Thoracic 75, Lumbar 45
                        After surgery: Thoracic 27, Lumbar 28
                        Surgeon: Dr. Nathan Lebwohl, Miami, FL

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                        • #13
                          I agree, it is very difficult to know what we are feeling, I just know its incredibly uncomfortable!

                          If I'm at a table reading I can feel the 'pulling' as I lean slightly. I can also feel it if I sigh or yawn.
                          Some days when it's not so bad I think I can live with it. It's the days when I've 'worked' my back and it's not just the tugging/pulling but pain that's digging/grinding and forces me into having to lie down that I can't live with.

                          I just hope that I'm one of those people that need the full 3yrs for my body to accept the metalwork.
                          Fused T2-L4 with costoplasty on 3/11/10

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