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what is a bending xray and why do some doctors ask for them. Also, how many people who have had surgery are glad they have had it and feel much better since getting it.
thanks
avis
1987 Lumbar Laminectomy (forget which levels)
2005 A/P fusion, L2 - L5, 2/2005
2009 2 Posterior fusions, T6 - Pelvis, 2/10 & 2/18,
Dr. Frank Rand, NEBH
what is a bending xray and why do some doctors ask for them. Also, how many people who have had surgery are glad they have had it and feel much better since getting it.
thanks
avis
Avis,
Bending films simply show whether a curve is compensatory or structural for an adult ... and *maybe* how much correction can be achieved. I don't know of many orthos who even bother with adult bending films.
As far as how I *feel since surgery (and how I feel about my decision to have it), I don't regret it for a minute. I've also known I had a non-progressing curve for 30 years, and have probably done more research than most just to stay up to date.
I'm sprinting at 5 months post-op, so I really can't complain. What level of activity were you at before?
i am not functioning well. i can't walk which was my favorite form of exercise. everything i do is painful and exhausting but laying down hurts as well. i will get surgery it's just a matter of when and who. i am seeing dr. bitan some time in august and will probably know what i am doing after that. it seems that people seem to get a real benefit from scoli surgery compared to regular back/spine surgeries. i am at the point that i have to do it no matter what. i can't live like this. i am 57 and feel like 100. i was very active and this type of living is killing me mentally.
avis
thanks for answering.
1987 Lumbar Laminectomy (forget which levels)
2005 A/P fusion, L2 - L5, 2/2005
2009 2 Posterior fusions, T6 - Pelvis, 2/10 & 2/18,
Dr. Frank Rand, NEBH
My understanding of bending x-rays is that they can provide an estimate of how much correction is possible to achieve during surgery, based on the natural flexibility you have in your spine-- some have very little flexibility, so correction would be more limited. If you have either the Wolpert or Neuwirth books on scoliosis, they both discuss these. I think I remember that you have one of them...
As far as how I feel about my own surgery-- I am very glad that I had it-- grateful for a very good surgeon and the care I received. My recovery is longer than some, but I haven't had any complications or upsets-- just slow and steady progress. I still have some more "recovering" to do before I feel that my endurance is back, but I'm quite healthy and strong. I have some aches when I overdo, but I don't have the old aches that were getting me down prior to the surgery. I've made adjustments-- do some things differently than BS (before surgery), but even with giving up my old flexibility, etc., for the stiffer, newer me, I am very pleased with the trade off. I am one who is very glad to have had the surgery. I look forward to the continuing progress that I expect to make over the next few years and hope to post at some point that everything is super great. I also don't kid myself thinking that nothing more can go wrong-- I am playing odds with my lower lumbars needing further fusion, and people over the age of 55 also have about a 25% chance of failed fusion. Even so, the pain relief and stabilization of my spine is what is important, and if I have to cross that revision surgery bridge at some time, that too will be do-able. I don't know if that helps you any or not, but those are my own feelings about my surgery.
71 and plugging along... but having some problems 2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift) 5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago
Corrected to 15°
CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring
I am so happy I had the surgery!!!! Even though I did not bounce back as quick as others I am very happy with my new back. My Surgeon did do the bending x-rays twice. The first set showed there would be no correction and I felt it was because the tech did not know what they were doing. At my pre-op before the surgery I had them done again and was pleasently surprised, the tech knew exactly what she was doing, even to the extent of having me lay on the floor to get the best correction. Even with these x-rays, my Dr. felt he would only get the curve down to the low 30s. After the surgery he told my family he was surprised how much of a correction he was able to get, it took a lot of time but he got both curves to less that 10degrees. At my 1 year appt. he commented on how much he had to strecth the muscle to get the correction and felt that was part of the reason I was down for so long.
Good luck and take it one day at a time. I still do stupid things and need to rest (sometimes for days) but I know I will do them again because I enjoy them so much.
Patty 51 years old
Surgery May 23, 2007(43 Birthday)
Posterior T3- L4
Pre surgery curves
T-53degrees
L-38degrees
and a severe side shift to the right.
Post surgery curves
Less than 10 degrees
Surgery April, 2006
C4 - C6
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