BMP Mishaps

[LindaRacine]

Hi Tamena! Yes, bone was used from iliac crest. I met with nurse, yesterday. I thought BMP might have been used all the way down the spine b/c I didn't have an additional incision. Nurse said sometimes dr can reach the iliac crest from the main incision. I'm confused b/c the literature says BJH hasn't used iliac crest bone for the past 10 (?) years! Huh?!

As I think you've probably figured out, the iliac cress bone graft is taken from the iliac crest and not from the hip. I'm guessing that surgeons think people are too dense to know or look up what the iliac crest is. And, while surgeons used to make a separate incision, they now take it from the midline incision if the spine incision has to go all the way down to the sacrum anyway. In regard to "the literature says BJH hasn't used iliac crest bone for the past 10 (?) years!", ICBG is used a lot less than it was in the past, but I hadn't heard of anyone giving it up completely. Nothing is quite as successful at promoting bone graft as much as a patient's own bone, so in cases where the patient has a high risk of non-fusion, it's the lesser of 2 evils.

--Linda

[tae_tap]

Surgery went well! Dr. Kelly was surprised by the size of bone and excited that once removed the nerve plumped up and was relieved. He also told me that due to my case he has made the decision not to but the BMP in the cages anymore. I absolutely love this doctor because not only is he good at what he does, but you can see how much he cares for his patients. He is very personable and I love that about him. My nurses this time are outstanding as well. All in all, today has been very good.
Tamena

[golfnut]

Tamena,
I am glad to hear everything went well for you. I know what you mean about Dr. Kelly. He assisted Dr. Lenke with my surgery and met with me at my 3 month check up. I hope you have a swift recovery.

[PeggyS]

Surgery went well! Dr. Kelly was surprised by the size of bone and excited that once removed the nerve plumped up and was relieved. He also told me that due to my case he has made the decision not to but the BMP in the cages anymore. I absolutely love this doctor because not only is he good at what he does, but you can see how much he cares for his patients. He is very personable and I love that about him. My nurses this time are outstanding as well. All in all, today has been very good.
Tamena

Yea, Tamena! Congrats! Now, you're on your way to healing!

[PeggyS]

As I think you've probably figured out, the iliac cress bone graft is taken from the iliac crest and not from the hip. I'm guessing that surgeons think people are too dense to know or look up what the iliac crest is. And, while surgeons used to make a separate incision, they now take it from the midline incision if the spine incision has to go all the way down to the sacrum anyway. In regard to "the literature says BJH hasn't used iliac crest bone for the past 10 (?) years!", ICBG is used a lot less than it was in the past, but I hadn't heard of anyone giving it up completely. Nothing is quite as successful at promoting bone graft as much as a patient's own bone, so in cases where the patient has a high risk of non-fusion, it's the lesser of 2 evils.

--Linda

Thank you for the explanation, Linda. That clears things up!

[tae_tap]

Hello everyone! I am home and have been for a few days. I am doing amazing especially for six days post-op. I am off all narcotics and have been for 24 hours. Only Tylenol and IBU prn. I have not even needed a muscle relaxer. It's so wonderful! I am dealing with the constipation monster and drinking my magnesium citrate cocktail as I type and it is the worst stuff alive but maybe the bowels will awaken when I'm done. This is the first time in I don't know how many years that I can walk, lay, and sit without pain. I pray it continues and isn't a sick trick my body is playing on me. I feel well enough to go back to work on Monday but my husband is making me take more time so I don't over do it. I guess he knows me a little to well!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I am praying for FIFA and Peggy as they are still early in their healing!

Tamena

[PeggyS]

Wow, Tamena! I'm so happy to hear you're doing well! Hubby is right, take your time going back to work; heal!
I tried to reduce pain meds to fight the constipation monster. Yesterday was good, but today wasn't so great. I need to take my own advice to be patient and heal!
Happy Thanksgiving!

[LindaRacine]

Congratulations Tamena. Hope the easy recovery continues. Be very careful not to overdo things. Don't worry if you have a setback.

More and more, I'm seeing people recover like you. I wish I knew why some people have it so easy and others don't.

By the way, you have the wrong year for your surgery date in your signature.

--Linda

[tae_tap]

Linda,
I updated my signature. I am never surprised with set backs now, especially with the back and it's sensitive nature. I think the reason recovery is so much easier is that once you've had a long fusion everything is easier and this time it was removing a bone to allow the nerves to breathe so no fusion was taking place. Plus the incision was half the size of the long fusion. I am listening and taking it easy even though I'm ready to run back to work (because the pain isn't there) and see my patients. But I shall be patient and wait till after the holidays.

Peg,
You sound like you're doing great! Take your time. You don't want to mess with fusion and your body is in triple drive compared to mine. You had major surgery, mine was routine. Praying you keep moving up the hi with not too many set backs.

Tamena

[LindaRacine]

Linda,
I updated my signature. I am never surprised with set backs now, especially with the back and it's sensitive nature. I think the reason recovery is so much easier is that once you've had a long fusion everything is easier and this time it was removing a bone to allow the nerves to breathe so no fusion was taking place. Plus the incision was half the size of the long fusion. I am listening and taking it easy even though I'm ready to run back to work (because the pain isn't there) and see my patients. But I shall be patient and wait till after the holidays.

Peg,
You sound like you're doing great! Take your time. You don't want to mess with fusion and your body is in triple drive compared to mine. You had major surgery, mine was routine. Praying you keep moving up the hi with not too many set backs.

Tamena

I think you're right about the revision surgery issue. For many years before I had my own revision surgery, a lot of people told me that they thought their revision surgery was much worse than the original surgery. But, I think most of those people had their initial surgeries as teenagers, so the comparison is more apples and oranges than apples and apples. I think that revision surgery early recovery can be relatively easy because they're usually fixing a very specific problem. Also, there have been a lot of preop and periop pharmaceutical advances in recent years.

--Linda

[jackieg412]

Hi, so glad that you are doing so well. I found revision surgery much easier. Maybe it is because it is more localized? Mine went well and I was amazed at how quickly I felt better.