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  • 3rd opinion

    hi, I'm looking for a 3rd opionion for my scoliosis surgery. Dr. Benson of UCD in N. Calif has proposed a fusion from T11 to L5. Dr. Peter Pappas of Santa Rosa has proposed a fusion from T9 to S1. In Jan. 03 my curvature was measured at 68 degrees. I liove near Shasta Lake in N. Calif and figure I'll have to travel to Sac or the Bay area. Any suggestions? I'm also extremely interested in hearing about post op experiences.
    Kindest Regards,
    Des

  • #2
    Des, I dont have any knowledge about which vertebrae should be fused, but i just had a comment. i'm also in N. Cali, in a small town called Coleville (near Lake Topaz, about 30 min. south of carson city, nv). anyway, my doctor is in carson city , nv, and he's recommending a 3rd surgery for me, and is referring me to a doctor at UCD...can't remember his name, but Benson sounds familiar. but i wont have to travel that far for surgery, as far as i know. my doctor will do it here. so hopefully you wont have to travel far.
    after my first surgery, i was pretty sore. i was only about 13 or 14 years old. i was stiff...couldnt walk the stairs at home for a few weeks, so i had my bed downstairs in the living room. i had it done during summer, so it wouldnt interfere with school...but it did not take the whole summer to recover. i was fine in just a few weeks...just stiff for a while. couldnt get out of bed like normal, had to keep my back straight and roll my whole body slowly to the side, then sit up. my cuve was also about the same as yours.
    ~gail

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    • #3
      3rd opinion

      Des and Scarlette,
      I also live in Northern Calif and need revision,but I live a hour south of Sac. Dr. Munish Gupta is also a revision specialist at UCDavis. I've seen him and Benson. Have you thought of going to Kaiser? In Roseville the expert for us is Dr. George Picetti. I will probably go with him for my surgery, but I get a 3rd opinion from UCSF Dr. Serena Hu next week. There are other good doctors in the S.F. area like Dr. John Gray. I've seen him too. My surgery will be posterior and anterior with a osteotomy(sp?). I"m not looking forward to it. I'm 56 and been fused since 1960, but luckily with no instrumentation. Jolene

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      • #4
        what is an osteotomy?
        ~gail

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        • #5
          Gail...

          In terms of spine surgery, an osteotomy is a wedge that's cut through one or more vertebra, to help in the alignment of the spine. It would be very uncommon for someone to need an osteotomy for standard scoliosis surgery. Jolene is having her fusion revised.

          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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          • #6
            i think that is the word that my doctor said he was going to perform in my next surgery.....
            thanks for the info!
            ~gail

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            • #7
              Hope this helps

              I know you live in Calif. I live up here in Utah. I just had my surgery done back on November 11th. I had it done at the University of Utah Hospital. My Doctor was John Braun. Wonderful, wonderful man. Don't know if that helps since you live so far away. But I thought I could share my experience with you. I am 30 years old and had a 70 degree middle curve and 34 degree top and bottom curve. I ended up having bone grafts to repair damaged discs before they could fuse the rods. The bone grafts are very painful. They hurt more than the surgery did. They took bone from my shoulder blades and then also had to use bones from the bone bank. I donated my own blood for the surgery. My doctor suggested I do that. I donated 2 units to myself and was glad I did, I took back both units. I was in surgery for 10 hours. I don't remember much about the first few days, but I was only in the hospital for 7 days. I have to use a walker to get around, but it is only temporary. I can now move about the house with out the walker. Everything went great for my surgery. I still have a little pain, mostly in my lower back. The best advice I can give to anyone looking at surgery is even though it is difficult some days, a positive attitude helps recovery.
              Hope I have been helpful to you
              Ellen

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