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Are we going to need surgery AGAIN??

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  • Are we going to need surgery AGAIN??

    We're back!

    DD17 had fusion T3-L2 in 2014. We've had regular check ins with our surgeon. But now I'm not sure all is well. Am waiting a follow up call after receiving latest radiology report.

    Post op she was corrected from 60+ degrees thoracic to 15 degrees in July 2014
    December 2015 she was 18 degrees, and they said don't worry. Margin of error. Also 4mm pelvic lift
    June 2016: 20 degrees,possible problem with screws, possible loosening. 7mm pelvic lift, up from 4mm 6 months ago

    She is in no discomfort at all.

    "Some a lucency again identified around the pedicle screw on the left T3 and around the pedicle screw on the right at T5 suggesting some loosening. There may be very subtle lucency involving the other pedicle screws, better seen on the lateral projected views. Hardware otherwise appears stable without evidence of loosening."


    It seems to me something has gone wrong. There should be no curve progression. Note the radiologist says "Again" regarding the lucency, but that was NOT mentioned in the radiologist report from December.

    She had very small pedicles for unknown reason, the surgeon told us after surgery, which altered how he did her screws. There was no choice.

    Talk me off the ledge!

  • #2
    Our surgeon called to say he sees no curve change or problem regardless of the radiologist. No need to worry. Any discrepancies due to measurement differences by different radiologists. Nothing is loose.

    He's a prominent surgeon. Thousands done at world class children's hospital. My DH says do not worry. But I still do. I'm a mom!

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    • #3
      Nice to hear from you!

      A swing of +/-5 degrees between different readers is not unusual as far as I can tell. There is no smoking gun.

      The radiologist and surgeon were were working with sometimes had much larger discrepancies in their readings to the point where one said there was progression and the other said no progression.

      Finally, it is my understanding that not much can be learned about screw tightness from radiographs so I don't understand those comments.
      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."

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      • #4
        Even if there were to be something wrong with the implants, the changes are pretty minor. I think most surgeons would NOT operate on a patient who had no pain and only minor changes in measurements.

        --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

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