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Stopping smoking before spinal fusion surgery

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  • #16
    Originally posted by rohrer01 View Post
    I can't speak for spinal fusion, but I can speak from other experience. My mom cut her fingers off in a table saw. The doctor said he wouldn't even attempt a reattachment surgery if she was a smoker. He was able to save four of her fingers and she can use them. She would have lost ALL five fingers. His reason for not trying to save fingers of smokers is due to the NICOTINE causing a constriction of the blood vessels. He had once operated on a young man that also cut his fingers off because the young man promised never to pick up another cigarette again. As soon as the young man got home he started smoking. He ended up losing all of his fingers.

    I would also be careful about e-cigarettes. I did some research on them because my son started using them as an anti-smoking aid. Some of them have anti-freeze (polyethelene glycol) as a propellant, others use propylene glycol (also used in asthma inhalers). I went to the FDA website to read about them. There are dangers. They have tested some that supposedly contain NO nicotine and found nicotine in them. Also, the cartridges can leak. They aren't as "safe" as the manufacturers claim. Also, it's the nicotine that causes the cardiovascular disease. The other "chemicals" in cigarettes cause cancer.

    I hope this was somewhat helpful. I think that proper bloodflow is important for healing in any surgery, but especially the really "big" surgeries. I'm sorry you are in this position with your son. I am frustrated with my kids for smoking and they don't have big surgeries to face. I wish you all the best and hope that your son can come to see the seriousness of this situation.
    . This is good information for anyone out there that wants to try these e-cigs. It is just better not to smoke at all. This is such a serious surgery and an opportunity to have a better quality of life. So there's really no other option except quit. Hope we are all in good spirits tonight!! Stay strong everyone!! Linda
    Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
    Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
    This started adult onset scoliosis
    July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
    Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
    Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
    May 30th 2013 revision
    May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
    May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

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    • #17
      Originally posted by babyboomer16 View Post
      . This is good information for anyone out there that wants to try these e-cigs. It is just better not to smoke at all. This is such a serious surgery and an opportunity to have a better quality of life. So there's really no other option except quit. Hope we are all in good spirits tonight!! Stay strong everyone!! Linda
      I wanted to make a correction to one of my statements. So I'm really glad you found this thread and brought it up to the fore. Polyethylene glycol is NOT antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is. I did read in my research that some makers DO use antifreeze as a propellant. I don't know where I read it now, but if anyone were to use these devices, please check out what's in them first. Polyethylene glycol is a laxative (PEG for short). I should know, I had to drink a gallon of the stuff for a colonoscopy! Ugh... I apologize for my misleading statement earlier. Do some research on these things, though. It's a real eye opener.
      Be happy!
      We don't know what tomorrow brings,
      but we are alive today!

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      • #18
        Update!

        Thank you everyone for your awesome support and encouragement. We did cancel the surgery. My son is so scared to have it done. He is not mentally in a good place for such huge undertaking. He is smoking more than ever. He indeed has to be the one to decide if this is for him. It's his body and he will have to make the decision to move forward or not. We want to get his records sent to Dr. Lenke for a second opinion. I just pray God will lead him in the direction he needs to go and help him get to the right place. Thanks again.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by dianadee58 View Post
          Thank you everyone for your awesome support and encouragement. We did cancel the surgery. My son is so scared to have it done. He is not mentally in a good place for such huge undertaking. He is smoking more than ever. He indeed has to be the one to decide if this is for him. It's his body and he will have to make the decision to move forward or not. We want to get his records sent to Dr. Lenke for a second opinion. I just pray God will lead him in the direction he needs to go and help him get to the right place. Thanks again.
          You are so right about being in a good place for surgery. I will keep you both in your prayers
          Melissa

          Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

          April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

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          • #20
            Originally posted by dianadee58 View Post
            Thank you everyone for your awesome support and encouragement. We did cancel the surgery. My son is so scared to have it done. He is not mentally in a good place for such huge undertaking. He is smoking more than ever. He indeed has to be the one to decide if this is for him. It's his body and he will have to make the decision to move forward or not. We want to get his records sent to Dr. Lenke for a second opinion. I just pray God will lead him in the direction he needs to go and help him get to the right place. Thanks again.
            Best of luck. Sounds like you are an awesome mom. Offer him the help that he needs. He will decide to quit smoking on his own terms. We will be thinking of you and your family. Know that you can come back here. Susan
            Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

            2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
            2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
            2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
            2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
            2018: Removal L4,5 screw
            2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

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