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  • posterior spinal fusion

    is it true that after having posterior spinal fusion done that you are all puffy and swollen in your face???

    if so, how long does that seem to last?

    thanks
    25 yr old female =^_^=
    Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
    Lumbar curve 23 degrees
    surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
    Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

  • #2
    Yes, but only for the first day or 2. Belive me when I say that will be the least of your worries. :-)

    --Linda
    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

    Comment


    • #3
      We were told that our daughter's face might be swollen immediately after surgery. This is apparently due to fluid accumulation from lying face down for an extended period while under anaesthesia. As it turned out, she wasn't swollen at all. She looked absolutely beautiful (had an awful lot of tubes coming out of various places though....), so there is clearly some variability. If there is swelling, it is very temporary.

      Cheers - Patricia
      Patricia
      Scoli Mum from New Zealand
      Daughter Caitlin's surgery 2nd May 2005
      Posterior fusion T3 - L1

      Comment


      • #4
        My daughter was swollen after surgery. When I saw her in recovery, she was a lot less swollen then I expected. The staff in the recovery room told me that about 50% of the swelling was already gone. I literally watched the swelling leave her face and by the morning after surgery, her face was completely normal.

        Good luck.

        Mary Lou

        Comment


        • #5
          My mother said I actually only had minimal swelling- people who knew me would notice, but not those who didn't. I just looked a little chubby for a day or two. It goes away, and doens't have a lasting effect. Nothing to worry about.
          Blair

          Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
          Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
          Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
          Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
          February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
          September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

          Comment


          • #6
            Be sure and let the family members who might see you right after the surgery know that you may be quite swollen in the face. I know it frightened my parents and husband when they saw me with the swelling. It did go away pretty quickly however.

            Comment


            • #7
              For me it was swollen for first 2 days, my wife couldn't sleep that first day after seeing on recovery room.
              Upper Curve: 46 Degrees (pre-op 75 Degrees)
              Lower Curve: 23 Degrees (pre-op 64 Degrees)
              Posterior Spinal Fusion on Mar. 2nd 05
              Dr. Boachie

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              • #8
                Thank you all for your responses. My doctor didn't tell me that and I have been doing quite a bit of reading on the procedure trying to prepare myself both physically and mentally.

                hopefully I won't look too much like a chipmunk in the days following the procedure.
                25 yr old female =^_^=
                Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
                Lumbar curve 23 degrees
                surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
                Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Honestly, you won't care a bit about how you look.

                  My doctor didn't warn me either, and it was quite a shock to my boyfriend.

                  --Linda
                  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

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I've another question. Do doctors still tend to use stitches or do they use staples to cover the site????
                    25 yr old female =^_^=
                    Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
                    Lumbar curve 23 degrees
                    surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
                    Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      It depends entirely on the surgeon (or whomever is closing). I think the most frequent method for closing these days is internal, disolvable stitches, with steri-strips (tape) on the skin.

                      --Linda
                      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

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        oh, okay. thanks abunch.. sorry to bombard you guys/gals with all of these questions.



                        ~Shelley
                        25 yr old female =^_^=
                        Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
                        Lumbar curve 23 degrees
                        surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
                        Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Shelley...

                          Better to ask the questions than to be surprised.

                          --Linda
                          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

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Shelly, My incision down my spine was closed last year with stitches. The anterior incision through the ribs was closed with staples, the anterior incision throught the belly was closed with steri-strips, and my hip graft was closed with internal stitches. This year's posterior incision is closed with staples. They are no fun! I get them out Friday and can't wait. Also about the swelling, last year I was swollen all over alot! This year the surgery was shorter and very little swelling.
                            Theresa

                            April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
                            Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
                            Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
                            Fused T2 to sacrum
                            June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
                            MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

                            FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Theresa
                              . . . This year's posterior incision is closed with staples. They are no fun! I get them out Friday and can't wait. . .

                              Theresa, I wish you all the luck in having those staples removed. I've never had to have stitches/staples or anything of that nature. the only surgery i've had before was a tonsillectomy/adendoidectomy (sorry if I mutilated that one) Just trying not to 'freak out' and cover all of my bases. :/ Looks like I'll have to call my doctor in the morning just to make sure.
                              25 yr old female =^_^=
                              Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
                              Lumbar curve 23 degrees
                              surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
                              Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

                              Comment

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