Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Bracing after surgery

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Bracing after surgery

    Hi guys,

    My surgeon tells me that he will be putting me in a body brace after my revision surgery to help protect my torso and to give my body a little nudge to remember that this is the position everything is supposed to be in :-)

    I never had a cast or body brace when I was younger or after my scoliosis surgery in 1997 so don't really know what to expect.

    Is anyone currently in a brace having just had scoliosis surgery?

    I'm sure I'll find out when it happens but I was wondering the weight of a normal brace, length, feel etc. Does it go around your body or do you put your arms through it and put it on like a vest, does it rub your skin so that you need a thin vest underneath the brace?

    Thanks to anyone that posts
    27 yr old Female.
    Scoliosis since 12yrs, fusion to lower curve in 1998, costioplast 2001 and further corrective surgery 26 July 2012.
    Now the proud owner of a very straight spine. T1- L5 fusion.
    Mr Dunsmuir, Orthopaedic Surgeon, LGI Leeds.

  • #2
    Jenna

    I had a post surgical “protective” brace after my surgeries. A plastic half shell device (under the arms) with velcro straps.

    You feel kinda crabby when wearing these......and you actually look crabby holding grabbers in each hand. With the hard shell and the claws, you have to be careful you don’t scare the pets. (smiley face)

    Its an extra measure of protection. You don’t want to be falling down for awhile right after your surgeries. The hardware is strong, but when we are fresh just out of the oven, we are delicate.

    Braces before or after are never truly loved......

    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


    • #3
      Some doctors put all their patients in postop braces, and some put none in braces. I had one after my first surgeries 20 years ago, but not after my surgeries 1-1/2 years ago. Most scoli patients who are braced go into a TLSO brace. There are all sorts of configurations, but here's sort of a typical one:

      http://img.medicalexpo.com/images_me...lso-451882.jpg
      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


      • #4
        After both of my scoliosis surgeries, I had to wear a clam shell brace . It protects your new back. It really is not that uncomfortable. Neither time, did I have to sleep in it. It goes on over your clothes.
        Melissa

        Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

        April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

        Comment


        • #5
          Jenna-- as you can see, there are different types of braces! Maybe you can ask your surgeon's office what kind of brace you will be getting. I wore a brace for 5 months after my surgery. I had a TLSO brace and was told to wear a tight fitting men's type t-shirt with short sleeves under it to prevent chafing. Then I wore my regular clothes over that. Some other types of braces are worn over your clothes. Here's an old thread that discusses braces and there are two pictures of braces in the thread-- one is mine and differs from the TLSO Linda shows in that it has the breast area cut out. It was molded to me in the hospital after about 5 days, when the swelling had subsided. The other one pictured in that thread is one that is worn over clothes... The pictures are in posts 10 and 11.

          With mine, you just velcroed one side to take it on and off. The orthotics person (fellow who made the brace) needed to make adjustments and cut out more of the armpit area and some more from down at the bottom--hitting the front of my legs when I sat down-- to make it more comfortable for me, as it was cutting into me in those places at first. At the beginning I needed help taking it on and off, but not for long. You get sort of used to it fairly soon. It does give you support and protection. It seems weird when you stop using it... Best wishes with your revision surgery and with a speedy recovery!

          http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...uestions&pp=15
          Last edited by Susie*Bee; 06-09-2012, 08:14 AM.
          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

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Guys

            Thanks so much for your posts they have definately made me feel better. I remember when I had my first surgery in 97 the braces I saw were pot and looked really heavy and uncomfortable. I guessed they would have improved immensly but thanks for the old feed link Susie!

            I've got a list of questions for my surgery about the rods, incisions and braces etc but I'm glad everyone is so helpful on this forum. Its good to have an idea from those who have experienced these things.

            Thanks :-)

            Jenna x
            27 yr old Female.
            Scoliosis since 12yrs, fusion to lower curve in 1998, costioplast 2001 and further corrective surgery 26 July 2012.
            Now the proud owner of a very straight spine. T1- L5 fusion.
            Mr Dunsmuir, Orthopaedic Surgeon, LGI Leeds.

            Comment


            • #7
              Praying for you to get a date soon. I know how hard it is to wait
              Melissa

              Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

              April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by mabeckoff View Post
                Praying for you to get a date soon. I know how hard it is to wait
                Hi Melissa

                Thank you! I'm going to ring my surgeons office today and try and get an update. He said in April that there were 2-3 people in front of me. He has an operation schedules April and May then he didn't know when they could get a cord monitorer. By my reckoning that means I should be in by July, Aug at the latest (sorry if i've told you this before).
                I don't want to hold my breath but fingers crossed!!

                Jenna x
                27 yr old Female.
                Scoliosis since 12yrs, fusion to lower curve in 1998, costioplast 2001 and further corrective surgery 26 July 2012.
                Now the proud owner of a very straight spine. T1- L5 fusion.
                Mr Dunsmuir, Orthopaedic Surgeon, LGI Leeds.

                Comment

                Working...
                X