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  • I hope you have somebody to stay with you in the ICU. I think it's so important to have somebody looking out for you there. Having had a staged ALIF, PLIF with two days between them, I can tell you that the ALIF was a piece of cake compared to the PLIF. The ALIF was less than 2 hours and I went to the floor after. I had two osteotomies at that time and needed no blood replacement for it. It was after the PLIF that I went to ICU and that was the more nightmarish time in the hospital. Also, my ALIF incision healed up so fast & neat compared to the PLIF. I know you haven't had this done before, but I wouldn't put any worries there.
    Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
    ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
    Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

    After 38* lumbar

    Xrays
    Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

    After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

    Comment


    • Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
      I hope you have somebody to stay with you in the ICU. I think it's so important to have somebody looking out for you there. Having had a staged ALIF, PLIF with two days between them, I can tell you that the ALIF was a piece of cake compared to the PLIF. The ALIF was less than 2 hours and I went to the floor after. I had two osteotomies at that time and needed no blood replacement for it. It was after the PLIF that I went to ICU and that was the more nightmarish time in the hospital. Also, my ALIF incision healed up so fast & neat compared to the PLIF. I know you haven't had this done before, but I wouldn't put any worries there.
      that sounds so encouraging for all that have already gone through PLIF you felt alif was easier. That is great news to hear for all of us who fear an Alif

      Comment


      • Best wishes to you for a quick recovery. I found all of my revision surgeries easier than the first one. I hope it is the same for you
        T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
        C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
        T2--T10 fusion 2/11
        C 4-5 fusion 11/14
        Right scapulectomy 6/15
        Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
        To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
        Broken neck 9/28/2018
        Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
        Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
        Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
        Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
        Osteotomy

        Comment


        • The L5-S1 is where I broke it twice before Dr Bederman put the cage in from the front. It has fused and I have not broken it since then

          Good luck

          Melissa
          Melissa

          Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

          April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

          Comment


          • Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
            I hope you have somebody to stay with you in the ICU. I think it's so important to have somebody looking out for you there. Having had a staged ALIF, PLIF with two days between them, I can tell you that the ALIF was a piece of cake compared to the PLIF. The ALIF was less than 2 hours and I went to the floor after. I had two osteotomies at that time and needed no blood replacement for it. It was after the PLIF that I went to ICU and that was the more nightmarish time in the hospital. Also, my ALIF incision healed up so fast & neat compared to the PLIF. I know you haven't had this done before, but I wouldn't put any worries there.
            I don't know about all hospitals, but many do not allow anyone but the patient to stay outside of visiting hours. I don't know what the nurse to patient ratio is in typical ICUs, but I can tell you that I had more than enough attention when I was in the ICU for 5 days following my first surgeries.

            Like you, my ALIF was pretty easy. My incision is about 4" long (vertical) and I had 3 ALIF cages placed.

            --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


            • Ileus after ALIF?

              I am wondering if all you ALIF folks above (Linda, Melissa, lizard acres, and Ed) had a post-op ileus (stomach/bowels asleep) that you recall? How long until you were able to drink fluids and transition to oral pain meds? How was your incisional pain?
              Gayle, age 50
              Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
              Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
              Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


              mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
              2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
              2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

              also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

              Comment


              • Originally posted by leahdragonfly View Post
                I am wondering if all you ALIF folks above (Linda, Melissa, lizard acres, and Ed) had a post-op ileus (stomach/bowels asleep) that you recall? How long until you were able to drink fluids and transition to oral pain meds? How was your incisional pain?
                Not surprisingly, I can't really remember when I was able to eat again, but I do remember eating before I left the hospital and I was there maybe 5 days. I was on ice chips only after the ALIF, which I did for the two days between surgeries, and I do remember vomiting bile once not too long before I went to the OR for the PLIF. I know my bowel sounds did not return before the PLIF but that is pretty common for any abdominal surgery. I ate fine after d/c but mostly smoothies for a while so I could use a straw to eat.

                True about the ICU policies varying between hospitals. New units often have a place for family to sleep in the room.
                Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
                ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
                Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

                After 38* lumbar

                Xrays
                Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

                After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

                Comment


                • Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
                  I don't know about all hospitals, but many do not allow anyone but the patient to stay outside of visiting hours.
                  Parents routinely move into the hospital to stay with their kids. I lived at the hospital day and night two times for a total of about 10 days. They never once asked me for rent!

                  If they let parents move in why can't adult patients have live-in help? What if their parent offers to come? That is the same situation!
                  Last edited by Pooka1; 09-17-2015, 08:48 PM.
                  Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                  No island of sanity.

                  Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                  Answer: Medicine


                  "We are all African."

                  Comment


                  • I work at a hospital that centers around patient and family care. Staying with the patient is allowed.
                    T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
                    C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
                    T2--T10 fusion 2/11
                    C 4-5 fusion 11/14
                    Right scapulectomy 6/15
                    Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
                    To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
                    Broken neck 9/28/2018
                    Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
                    Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
                    Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
                    Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
                    Osteotomy

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
                      Parents routinely move into the hospital to stay with their kids. I lived at the hospital day and night two times for a total of about 10 days. They never once asked me for rent!

                      If they let parents move in why can't adult patients have live-in help? What if their parent offers to come? That is the same situation!
                      Sorry, I was talking about the ICU.

                      Not only are patients allowed to have friends and family in their rooms, they actually encourage people to have someone stay with them. There is a chair in every room that converts to a single bed.
                      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


                      • Originally posted by leahdragonfly View Post
                        I am wondering if all you ALIF folks above (Linda, Melissa, lizard acres, and Ed) had a post-op ileus (stomach/bowels asleep) that you recall? How long until you were able to drink fluids and transition to oral pain meds? How was your incisional pain?
                        I was out of it for the first 3 days. On the fourth day, I started drinking fluids and added solid fluid later in the day. I did not get an ileus. I had little to no incisional pain.

                        --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


                        • Ah I see I missed that you were talking about the ICU.

                          My daughters were only there a few hours so it wasn't an issue but they did restrict the number of people who could see her at a time.

                          I guess I am not clear on why people think they need family with them when they are in ICU. Seems like there was lots of care in ICU. The issue was when they were back in the room where they needed lots of help around the clock.

                          Maybe adults are different.
                          Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                          No island of sanity.

                          Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                          Answer: Medicine


                          "We are all African."

                          Comment


                          • Gayle, I had a stubborn ileus and was NPO for 9 days but I had a huge complex anterior procedure. (And a T2-Pelvis posterior, broken arm and shoulder) funny, I almost forgot that part, imagine that!

                            I was only allowed to eat on day 10 after the NG tube was pulled. Funny how you don’t get hungry when they feed you through a tube. Also funny that when your train has stopped at the station that you don’t need to run to the toilet! (smiley face) True ileus means no bathroom is needed. I was 9 months along I was that big.

                            After the NG tube was pulled, I ate and I went home right after my BM and weaned to orals home alone.......Make sure you are weaned to orals in the hospital, I didn’t have the option for anymore shots.

                            Incisional pain is 1-2% of the pain. Being on injectable meds after major surgeries like mine is a package deal. There wasn’t any pinpoint pain at that stage due to the powerful meds.

                            They kept me out for around 4 days so don’t remember much in ICU. I told everyone not to come down to ICU but they came anyway. I guess the lights were on, but nobody was home. A few of the doctors stated that I am an excellent historian in the hospital reports.....??? I didn’t remember much at all in ICU except all the hoses and computerized machinery around me.

                            My whole front side(xiphoid process on down) was cut open so having a small 4 “ scar should be a whole lot easier.....I have around 5 feet of scar tissue on my body...

                            You will do just fine. You know what to do.....

                            The one thing I knew right away was that my lower end was repaired and that old sciatica pain was completely gone. I knew this right away, I could feel it. I was moving forward mentally at that stage and all the rest of the stuff was secondary.....

                            Ed
                            49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                            Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                            ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                            Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                            Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                            My x-rays
                            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
                              Ah I see I missed that you were talking about the ICU.


                              I guess I am not clear on why people think they need family with them when they are in ICU. Seems like there was lots of care in ICU. The issue was when they were back in the room where they needed lots of help around the clock.

                              Maybe adults are different.
                              My husband stayed with me and honestly, I can't remember a single thing about the ICU or even that he was there. But later, he told me all about it and I liked that he was there as a witness to everything and knowing he was looking out for me. He also told me things the Dr said that I have no recollection of and he kept a sort of diary for me.

                              Also, I wanted to add that I think that severe constipation can be confused with an ileus after discharge. But I'm sure you already know how to deal with that :-)
                              Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
                              ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
                              Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

                              After 38* lumbar

                              Xrays
                              Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

                              After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

                              Comment


                              • Best of luck Gayle, it sounds like you are in good hands. Don't worry, put your faith in God.
                                Susan
                                XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


                                Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

                                Comment

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