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My Revision Experience/ Picture of Broken Rod

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  • #16
    Sweetness...

    My understanding is that our bodies make new bone at different rates. Some people who don't smoke and who get lots of dietary calcium have a problem fusing. At UCSF, and at many other institutions, the surgeons use BMP (bone morphogentic protein) to enhance the fusion.

    Regards,
    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


    • #17
      Oh really, is this performed during surgery? Never heard of that before.

      Thanks for the info.
      35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
      Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
      Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
      Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
      Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

      Comment


      • #18
        Revision

        Hi-
        I just had a coritisone shot and I will be having the revision at the Special Surgery. I am glad that it is not that bad. Are you one any pain medication anymore? I still take Ultram 50mg. Are alot of people still on Ultram? do you take any medication? Or were you any medication before (with the exception of the percocet after the surgety?

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        • #19
          Sweetness...

          Yes, it's a substance that is added to the bone for grafting.

          --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


          • #20
            Hi, Yes i am on Ultram for my pain. Does it work for you, it only works to some extent for me. My prescription runs out in a few days and I dont see my surgeon for a few months so i am unsure what to do. Is ultram a strong pain killer or what because it does help somewhat but i still experience pain...its all normal though til over a year post op i just dont tolerate pain well..

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            • #21
              BeachInIt...

              Before you run out of Ultram, you might want to see if your pain increases if you miss a dose. If your pain increases, you should call your doctor's office immediately to try to get a new RX. If your pain doesn't increase, you may be able to stop taking the Ultram. I was on codeine after my surgery, and was still in a lot of pain. When I stopped taking the codeine, I found that my pain didn't increase.

              Regards,
              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


              • #22
                As far as pain meds, I only was on Empracet and some codeine Tylenols for a month after the original surgery. Ever since then, I don't take any with the exception of some weeks or months of anti inflammatories here and there when I have inflammation; like Vioxx who used to help(but is now off the market), and right now they gave me Relafen. They ask if I want strong stuff with codeine or Morphine but I refuse as I don't like being too out of it. The anti inflammatory pills don't do that much, but can help with pinch nerves and inflammation when taken for a certain period of time. The only meds I take every night is Imovane, it helps to release tension, pain and get me some sleep at least.

                Linda, as far as the bone graft goes, I was wondering if they take out some of the rod or all of it, would the added bone graft they would perform hold or does it need the rod and hardware to make it fuse? I want my ortho to take some of the rod out but he says that he can only put a new one as it would help the new fusion they would add(bone graft).
                35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by sweetness514
                  Linda, as far as the bone graft goes, I was wondering if they take out some of the rod or all of it, would the added bone graft they would perform hold or does it need the rod and hardware to make it fuse? I want my ortho to take some of the rod out but he says that he can only put a new one as it would help the new fusion they would add(bone graft).
                  I honestly don't know. I know that people (without scoliosis) often undergo one level fusions without implants. My gut says that you'd need implants to hold the area still while fusion takes hold, but that's just a guess.

                  --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


                  • #24
                    I see. Thing that is now bothering me is that the orthos tell me that there is no risk of me curving more if I stay with this broken rod(and even maybe lose screws, who knows at this point), but if I'm being logic, and I have pseudo arthritis in that area, plus the rod is broken, maybe that means that it's not holding things well and that there is a chance of curving. I'm being a little worried and anxious about too many things I know and I have decided to get surgery but wondered about that.
                    35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                    Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                    Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                    Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                    Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                    Comment

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