Had pre-op yesterday.

[dalmatica]

I went in for my pre-op work yesterday. Chest x-ray, 12 lead EKG, pee in a cup and blood work. They gave me a pink hospital bracelet after the blood work that I have to keep on until I go for surgery (30th). The guy told me I could go deep sea diving and it won't come off! He said that if I were to take it off, they would have to do all the blood work again. So now I am explaining to folks why I am wearing this goofy bracelet.
Saw the nurse anethestist (sp). I told her I really NEED Zophran for nausea after surgery so load me up please! They have ordered three units of blood for me. Thank goodness I don't have to give my own this time. For my first long fusion I had to give five.

A question for you folks: On the doctors orders, he wrote redo fusion L1 through L5, instrumentation and BMP. WHAT IS BMP????

[green m&m]

BMP stands for bone morphologic protein it's basically a bone growth factor

That's weird that they made you keep a bracelet on... Can you try to slip it off till the day of surgery?

[LindaRacine]

Morphogenetic :)

[dalmatica]

Thanks, but what exactly is it?

[SARAHK]

I'm pretty sure it's a bone catalyst, so it helps the bone (used for your fusion) grow. They told me during my last surgery that it's something that was approved for use about 3 yrs. ago. That's about the extent of my knowledge of it.

Also about the bracelet, I got one of those too but they never said I had to wear it until the surgery date! That's a little over-precautious! You just have to bring it with you. But maybe they've had a lot of people forget and that's why they told you that.

good luck! :)

[dkopp]

Here is some info on BMP and how it is used during spinal fusion. Seems like I read it is still considered experimental for kids but approved for use with adults: http://www.scoliosisassociates.com/subject.php?pn=bmp-049