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Surgical plan & go time!

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  • Surgical plan & go time!

    Hi everyone!

    I had my follow-up appt. with my orthopaedic surgeon this morning after my bending x-rays last week.

    My surgery is scheduled for Sept. 23rd - only one month away now!

    He will be fusing/inserting rods & screws using an anterior approach from T10-L3, so I think I am lucky to be getting a short fusion. This is for correction of my ~50* thoracolumbar curve. The upper curve in my thoracic area (~40*) is going to be left alone...on the bending films it straightened out a lot - down to 15* - so he thinks this curve will rebalance after the major curve below is fixed up. However, he mentioned that this is likely to take a few months, so I would probably feel more crooked for a little while.

    I found out two other interesting things today when my surgeon was going over my latest xrays. Apparently, I am short one thoracic vertebra! There are supposed to be twelve, however I only have eleven. That + scoliosis equals why I have a shortened torso, lol. Also, apparently, I have spina bifida occulta at my L5/S1 vertebra...the spinous process is open and there is an 1/3" gap there! Thank goodness I didn't have any neural involvement with that!

    So anyways, this is starting to feel real to me now. Before surgery was something I knew I would be doing in the future, but after today's appointment it is like this is really happening. I am scared, but excited at the same time. Weird conflicting feelings!

    --Steph
    --Steph

    Anterior surgery 9/23/09
    Fused T10 - L3

  • #2
    Good luck Steph. It always feels good to have a plan. It will be here before you know it. Make sure you take time for yourself during this month.
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

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    • #3
      Hi Steph! Thanks for sharing with us about your upcoming surgery. It sounds like you are getting ready and your surgery date will be here before you know it... I'll echo Debbe in saying to take time to enjoy yourself some this month too. I think probably most of us had those conflicting emotions as the reality of our surgeries approached... both excitement and the feeling of YIKES! (I remember questioning my sanity a little, like, what have I gotten myself into????!) Rest assured that the time will come and you'll get through it ok.
      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

      Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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