broken hardware

[Kasey]

I had my hardware removed. It was broken to my Dr’s surprise. Has any one else had broken hardware? I was under the impression that it was unbreakable?

[Susie*Bee]

Kasey-- sorry to hear about the broken hardware. If you do a search for broken rods (or something similar) you will find there are a fair number of people whose hardware broke... I think it can be for other reasons, but often (my understanding-- I could be wrong) it is because of failed fusion. Did your doctor say anything about how that looked when he removed the hardware?


When did you have the surgery for removing it? How are you doing? Hope you are recovering fairly quickly. Take care!

[Diane BCSW]

Broken Hardware

Kasey. I've had five surgeries over the past 4 years, the most recent being last September and this last one on January 28 - one in the lumbar and one in the thoracic. These were done by a different surgeon in Dallas. My previoius & original surgeon, after I got his attention at the 3-month checkup at first surgery, and I told him if the Xrays looked so doggoned good then why couldn't I walk! He Stopped bee-bopping around and got serious and sent me to get several tests. That problem causing the second revision was a broken or loose screw. Then a year later (I can't remember how it came about, but he discovered all of the thoracic area had not fused. I don't know if there was a rod breakage. So that necessitated a surgey and a 7 mo. stay in a nursing center.--- flat on my back. After all that, I though surgely the bad times were over, but no, early last Spring, I had to get a new brace because the one I had wasn't holding me straight enough. I wore it from Dec 2006, and I've actually not had it off since that (oh maybe for this or for that). right now I feel really good (yikes! I'm sitting here without the brace)I go on Monday to get a cat scan and another one on Tuesday and willl take the films down the street to my surgeon. He is tell me my current 3 month post-op condition. He mentioned putting in more of the BMp2, but I've been thinking I might refuse that elective operation and just give it more time to heal.

I have a ladyfriend who lives n San Angelo who had Dr. Shelokov do her first surgery, then had a minor repair, then he removed a maority of her rods.

so in answer to your question, yes the rods do break a lot. I was told they break because of the non-fusion and with no fusion, the rods have too much leeway, and eventually break.

Good luck to you
Diane

[Kasey]

hummm

I am sorry read about all your problems. I hope you heal well. the weird things about my break was that my back was fused perfect. I did not have to have any hardware put back in me...good i guess. I dont get it I was told over and over not to worry that no way could the rods break. the Dr. had no idea they were broken i just wanted them out because they caused so much pain that is when the break was discovered....sorry I spell very bad. I hope you and all the other peopel on this forum will heal well and live health productive lives, thanks for taking the time to respond to me
kasey

[terri watkins]

broken hardware?

Could you please tell if your hardware was titanium or steel?

[Kasey]

it was titanium. The break was under or covered by a bolt so the Dr. could not see it in any of my x-rays, CAT or MRI's

[terri watkins]

thanks

I have been going back and forth in my mind on which is best to use.... One surgeon uses only titanium and one only steel and one will do either or. I have heard of steel breaking as well but you are the first I have actually gotten a response from stating yours was titanium. I am sorry about the broken rod, I am glad your fusion is complete and healed because that is the real purpose for the hardware anyway.

[txmarinemom]

Hardware material options ...

I have been going back and forth in my mind on which is best to use.... One surgeon uses only titanium and one only steel and one will do either or. I have heard of steel breaking as well but you are the first I have actually gotten a response from stating yours was titanium. ...

Terri,

Another material option available for rods is Vitallium®, but I haven't read of anyone else here who (at least knowingly) has it.

Vitallium® is a trademarked alloy comprised primarily of cobalt (±60%), chromium (±20%) and moly (±5%).

It comes in 4.5 and 6mm diameter rods (I have 6mm rods) and is compatible with titanium pedicle screws. Mine weighs in at ±6 oz. vs. the ±1 lb. for the same in 316/316L SS.

Although I'm not sure how long Hanson has been using it, but when I started research on it back in December and asking questions, I had several questions regarding fatigue fracture (frx). Part of his answer to me was (verbatim, clipped from his email) "... I haven't had any fatigue fracture with the Vitallium rods. ...".

Best of all, it allows for non-distorted MRI's.

Of course, no metallurgical option will overcome breakage that results from pseudoarthritis :-(.

Just wanted to let you know there IS another choice besides titanium and stainless (it's available in a version of the Stryker XIA® system).

Regards,
Pam

[Kasey]

I am not sure what brand my titanium was but even with the break my fusion is good, that dose not make since to me. I still have pain in the spot the break was and the rest of my back but it feels much better now that it is out only 6 weeks post-op

...I know i spell very bad
Kasey

[Diane BCSW]

Hi Kasey,

What's the latest with you? I was reading over this thread and saw my previous reply and wow, I don't know what was going on when I wrote that. Lots of misspellings. It was a mistake that I said I was in a nursing home for 7 months; it was 7 weeks.

If I don't see an answer to this, I'll do a search for your name so I can see your status.

Hope your pain has gone, but if not, that it's being controlled.

[scolimich]

Kasey: what kind of pain?

Kasey....

What kind of pain were you experiencing to have the hardware removed?? I am considering since I have so much pain.

Were you concerned that your spine would re-curve? I am currently very concerned about that due to some spine journal studies I have read.

So, you are feeling way better now that it's all out??

Thanks.

Scolimich