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Scoliosis and asthma

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  • Scoliosis and asthma

    Hi, I am wondering if there are any adults out there who had scoliosis surgery and also had asthma. I have a significant curve, and may be in surgery in a year or two.
    Is anterior surgery possible in asthma patients? Do they collapse a lung in asthma patients? Do they do the rib hump removal surgery in asthma patients?
    I would really appreciate it if you guys who have asthma could answer some of these questions for me, and also let me know of other surgery issues related to asthma.
    Thanks!

  • #2
    Hi there! I'm 9 weeks post op and have Asthma and had both anterior and posterior approaches and had part of a rib removed during my surgery. My doctor did not collapse my lung, but some do. He simply pushed it aside and did his work. Your lungs will naturally have some deflation on their own as soon as the chest cavity is opened.

    It's best to let your doctor know about your concern and work with him/her to find out what's best for you. I can tell you that I had a small amount of fluid in my lower, left lung after surgery and that my breathing was shallow for a few weeks following the surgery. Still not sure if that was Asthma-related or not though. I recieved breathing treatments while in the hospital and am still doing some breathing exercises each day to help get my lungs back to full capacity.

    I hope that helps you a bit...but definitely talk to a doctor about your concerns prior to your surgery.

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    • #3
      Central - I have had asthma all my life and had posterior surgery in 2002 at the age of 30. The asthma wasn't an issue in my case, nor is it usually a problem except for those who have chronic, moderate to severe asthma. Anterior surgery is certainly possible and a lung can be collapsed, but your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and an asthma expert will probably need to evaluate you before surgery for this. Posterior surgery is always an option.

      Thoracoplasty (rib hump removal) shouldn't be a big problem (I had that, too), either, but again, you'd need to be evaluated.

      By the way, have you tried the Advair inhaler? I've been on it for several months and it has reduced my asthma symptoms 85%. It's truly amazing.

      Dave

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      • #4
        Scoliosis and Asthma

        Thanks for the responses.
        Yes I tried Advair for a few months, and it was excellent, probably also reducing my symptoms by 85%. But it's so expensive! My health insurance does not cover it, and so I am currently on another cheaper inhaled cortisone.
        That too is very effective in controlling asthma, but maybe by about 65%.

        Just curious, did either of you have to take a course of oral steroid leading up to the surgery?

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        • #5
          Central,
          I did not take anything leading up to my surgery. Again, let your surgeon know all of your concerns so that he/she can provide you with the best instructions on how to best be prepared for your surgery. I was surprised at what little there was to do in preparation for mine.

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          • #6
            advair

            Some people have contacted the drug company directly who could not afford various drugs. Sometimes they will give free supplies. It doesn't hurt to ask.
            Karen
            Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
            Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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            • #7
              Thanks HGD24! Good luck with your surgery tomorrow, and hope get back to 100% very soon. I am going to have lots of questions for you!

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              • #8
                Hi Central,

                My daughter had anterior/posterior surgery with rib hump removal and asthma 2 years ago. They deflated her right lung.

                Her surgery was quite long - 12 hours - which is unusual. So, she needed a respirator the first day, which is also unusual but was due to the long anesthesia.

                After they removed the respirator (and even before) she was treated for asthma for several days. She also used oxygen for her entire 10 day stay, but the nursing staff told me it was more of a comfort to her than a necessity.

                So, yes - you can successfully have anterior/posterior surgery with a deflated lung with asthma.

                If my daughter's surgery was shorter, I'm sure she would have done much better and wouldn't have needed the respirator. In fact, she didn't have it coming out of the O.R. They decided to insert it in the recovery post-op.

                The doctors did tell her to use her asthma medications, including albuterol, for several days before the surgery.

                She did just fine and her curve was fairly large (64 degrees thoracic).

                Good luck!

                Susan

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