SpinakStim?

[fierceliketiger]

I just had my surgery to fix my broken rods (the other one broke about a week before surgery). The surgery went well, I am back home. My surgeon prescribed something called a spinal-stim. Its a electromagnetic bone growth stimulator. Here is the website (http://www.orthofix.com/products/spine_spinalstim.asp?cid=37)

Anyone else have experience with one. Did it work?

[CHRIS WBS]

I wore one for four hours a day for nine months following my surgery. My surgeon prescribes it for his older patients and claims he has seen good results from it. I’m almost 17 months post-op and have had no broken hardware issues. On the other hand, I know a lady who is close in age to me and had the same fusion as me. Her doctor does not believe a bone stimulator has any merit. She did however incur a broken rod at about one year post-op. I suppose it’s anyone’s guess as to its effectiveness. I’m surprised to read of someone your age having both rods break. Hope all goes well for you going forward.

[loves to skate]

Hi fierce,

I also wore the spin stim for 9 months, 4 hours/day. I just had a CT/Myelogram, and have been told that I definitely have a solid fusion. I do believe its merits have been proven. If you look farther down on the website you provided, you will see references to back up their claims.

Sally

[fierceliketiger]

Thank you for responding Chris and Sally! I had an area of non-union that caused the first break, the second one occurred 4 months later, right before the surgery to fix it. My surgeon was really surprised too. I did have two surgeries prior to the fusion surgery in the same location, I also had an osteotomy at that level, so it was probably that there was just SO MUCH going on in one spot.

[titaniumed]

Hi Fierce,

Boy, I sure hope that this is the end of your pseudo issues. You have been through a lot.

How was this last surgery, compared to your A/P last year? Was it easier?

Ed

[debbei]

Hi Fierce,

I'm glad you made it through surgery ok. I feel so bad that you had to have another one. Maybe this stimulator will do the trick this time. My guess is that it's probably surgeons' personal preferance. I'm sure it couldn't hurt, especially since you didn't fuse properly the first time.

Is this surgery easier/harder or the same as the last as far as pain?

Take care,

[fierceliketiger]

I can not even begin to tell you how much easier this one was! There were moments when it was about as bad...not being able to get out of bed easily, but they didn't last very long at all! I was cleared from PT on the second day after surgery. I was able to go up and down stairs and walk the full length of the wing by that time (WITHOUT A WALKER!). I am able to walk about half a mile already! The best part, all of the popping, grinding, rubbing, and electrical shocks are totally gone!
When they went in they found that I had broken both rods (I can pinpoint the second break to about a week before the surgery, I was laying on the floor and went to roll over to get up and felt the tell-tale pop). They said the one side was pretty mangled, and that it was almost swinging loose in there. I got my rods back, but they couldn't give me the smaller piece from the first break because it had so many divots and sharp edges.
I am down to taking very few painkillers (I went 16 hours without ANYTHING last night!) , but I still need to take muscle relaxers a few times a day, and aside from incisional pain, I am doing really well. I still have some twinges and things when I move too fast, and I have a weight limit on lifting of 5lbs, so I am pretty useless around the house. I am also REALLY tired a lot.
I got out of the hospital in 4 days, most likely I was in for the 4th day because one of the residents decided he would change my meds and take me off dilaudid completely to put me on tramadol...it was such a HUGE switch that I regressed a bit.
I didn't have as much of the stomach issues as I had with the last one, and I can roll completely over from both sides now. It took me a while to get there last time. :) Thanks for asking!