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  • surgery??

    im an18 year old male with a 50 degree curve..ive been thinkin about surgery..my mom doesnt want me to get it, but i kind of do...she says that if i have the surgery that my back will hurt me the rest of my life, i was just wondering if this is true. i want the surgery to correct the curve, because i have a rib hump and am really self concsious about it...there is some pain, but not a lot, but im sure that will progress as i get older...but my question is if i get the surgery will i have back problems the rest of my life??

  • #2
    Hi Brad...

    While I personally don't think I'd have scoliosis surgery just for cosmetic reasons, if there was a good probability that I'd have to have surgery anyway, I'd probably have the surgery while young and then enjoy the benefit of having a more normal looking back.

    Most people who have scoliosis surgery have about the same amount of back pain as the general public. Perhaps you'd like to print out some abstracts on scoliosis surgery outcomes and give them to your parents. You can find links here:

    http://www.scoliosislinks.com/Outcomes.htm

    While there's certainly no need for you to rush into surgery, there's a reasonably good probability that your curve will get larger as you age. So, you might want to seriously consider surgery while your young (when recovery will be much quicker), while you have someone to care for you in the post op period, and while you have good insurance coverage.

    If you do decide on having surgery, I'd encourage you to find a surgeon who routinely does thorocoplasties. (That's the procedure to permanently reduce the rib hump.) I've known several people whose main purpose for having surgery was cosmetic, and who were unhappy with their results because the surgery (without thorocoplasty) didn't give them enough reduction in their rib humps.

    Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Regards,
    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

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    • #3
      PAIN!?

      Brad...

      this is just from my experience, but i had my surgery, 13 years ago from today (so hard to believe time goes by that fast) I was only 13 years old and i remember it as if it was yesterday... My back hurts me everyday, but it is something that i sort of learned to deal with, like it is part of how my life is going to be. I wouldnt have the surgery unless you had at least 2 doctors tell you that you need it. It is not an easy proceedure and i am sure at 18, you have much better things to do with your time and flexibility!

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