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  • incision

    Can you please share me the information on your surgery incision like where is it and how long?

    Letty

  • #2
    my incesion starts at my L2 and goes all the way up to my T3, 2 inches below my neck. i'd say somewhere around a foot long. the bone graph incesion is much smaller, only about 7 inches on my hip.
    Last edited by derxz; 08-27-2004, 11:15 PM.

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    • #3
      Hi Letty...

      The location and length of the scar is based on the type of surgery (anterior/posterior), and the location and length of the fusion.

      I'm fused from T4-L3 in the back, and T12-L3 in the front. I had both anterior and posterior surgeries. My posterior scar is right along my spine in the back, and runs from approximately the top of my shoulder blades to the about 1" below my waist. My anterior scar is a diagonal scar that starts on my left shoulder blade and ends on the left part of my abdomin, about 1" below my waist. In addition, I have about a 3" incision on the upper part of my right buttock, where the bone graft material was harvested.

      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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      • #4
        Linda
        Can you feel your back or is the incision area still numb?

        Comment


        • #5
          only the scar that runs down my spine is numb, i have total feeling throughout my back. however, on my right upper butt where the bone graft was taken it is more numb. it's not totally numb, but less sensational feeling than my right side

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          • #6
            I have a few small areas on my torso that are numb.

            --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


            • #7
              I am numb under my left breast on the front of my ribcage. and really strange....my right kneecap. told the doc and he looked at me like I was dumb...

              Comment


              • #8
                i'm 2 months post-op and my whole back is numb and it feels crazy..i just hope i get some of sensation back
                CONNIE


                Surgery June 28th 2004
                fused T4 -L3
                Hip graft
                Grown 1 1/2 inches
                25/o upper T 15/o
                53/o T 15/o
                37/o L 6/o
                Dr. Micheal Nuewirth
                New York City

                August 6, 2004
                Pulmonary Embolism
                complication from surgery

                January 2007 currently
                increasing pain at the T4/5
                point irratation heardwear

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                • #9
                  Thanks for all your replies. Just wondering and I forgot to ask the doctor about this re surgery... why is it necessary to open you up at the back and also at the front. Why not just one side? Did they operate on you for 2 times, Linda, like one week apart as others did? Do you still have pain after many years? I hope not. Sorry, I have a lot of questions and I will post them as I think about them if you don't mind.

                  Letty

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                  • #10
                    Hi Letty...

                    Since I was 42 when I had my surgery, my curves were fairly stiff. The surgeon went in from the front to remove discs. That allowed him to get better correction when they attached the hardware.

                    While I had many relatively pain free years, I have one disc below my fusion that has blown, and causes some lower back pain. I was never 100% free from pain, but most of the pain I've had since surgery never got in the way of doing anything I wanted. 80% of adults report back pain, so it's not surprising to find that adults who have had scoliosis surgery report some amount of back pain. If you expect to be 100% pain free, there's a good likelihood that you'll be disappointed. If your goal is to have less pain, and to have your curve(s) stabilized, you have a good chance of being happy.

                    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

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Letty,

                      I had anterior/posterior surgery. I'm fused from T2 to the sacrum. My scar goes from my neckbone all the way down my back. My anterior scar goes from under my right breast up around to the tip of my right shoulder blade. I have about a 6 inch scar on my right buttock from bone graphs, (my rib was also used) and a 6 inch scar on the left side of my belly. I am 4 1/2 months post op and doing great! I've flown to Arizona and to Conneticut recently. Tomorrow we are leaving to go to Pensacola, Florida. That's about an 8 hour car drive. I have a lot of numb areas on my back. I have gotten some feeling back just under the skin but you can tell it's still numb deeper down. I am finely getting some stomach muscle back. I'm not sure if lack of stomach muscle control was due to the scoliosis or from my hysterectomy last summer. Feel free to ask any questions. Theresa
                      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


                      • #12
                        Hi Theresa...

                        For areas of numbness, try rubbing objects of different texture (brushes, feathers, rolling pin, etc.) over the numb areas, while imagining what they would feel like. It really worked for me.

                        Also, if your tummy bulge is uneven, you may have what is often referred to as an incisional hernia. It's not a true hernia, but an area of muscle atrophy due to lack of blood supply to the tissue. I think they're almost always permanent without corrective surgery. I had mine repaired. It worked great for a few years, and then gradually returned.

                        Good luck on your long road trip.

                        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

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi all

                          Theresa, can you elaborate on what you meant by "lack of stomach muscle control ". I don't know what you meant.

                          My surgery is in Oct ... A/P too ... so you got me curious :-)

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                          • #14
                            my 2 cents

                            Hi everyone:

                            No I haven't had spine surgery but I already have several areas on my back - especially on my right shoulder blade that are numb.
                            They have been like this for at least 20 years so I guess I have some nerve issues. I also had two C-sections and another surgery on that same incision and the area above that scar has never regained feeling and it has been 20 years . So I guess what I am saying here is that those of you with new scars will probably always have some areas that will remain numb.
                            And hey I haven't posted for awhile so hi to all - Connie - I hope all is going well , Theresa - I hope that you are over the worst and wv1 else hope you had a great summer and here's to a great labour day. I have joined a few other groups on Yahoo and MSN but this is by far the greatest group of crooked and straightened folks I get to interact with.

                            Cheers and Hugs

                            Nancy
                            Nancy

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                            • #15
                              Hey Mish,

                              You might recall in alot of my old posts I talked about not being able to stand up straight after the surgery. Well it seems like this week muscles are starting to work better. I am able to hold myself in an unright very straight position for a good part of the day. Last summer I had a hysterectomy due to very large fibroids. The doctor said it was like I was 5 months pregnant. The surgery was done vaginally but I hadn't really started doing any abdominal exercises due to my back hurting. Some of the back pain that I was having was from the tumors. Needless to say, my stomach muscles were shot! I found out the end of January that I was going to be having the spinal fusion the beginning of April. I did have a plate put in the sacrum area for the fusion, so I have a six inch incision on the left side of my belly. This past week I've been able to lift both my legs off the bed a couple of inches and hold them in place. Since I have been able to do that is when I've been able to stand up straight. I don't know if I have just confused you even more?!
                              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

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