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  • What degree curve

    Does this look like approxomately a 30 degree curve to anyone who can tell?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/1872046...7604730538683/

  • #2
    Originally posted by scoliosisguy
    Does this look like approxomately a 30 degree curve to anyone who can tell?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/1872046...7604730538683/
    Yes it does though I would want to try to measure it to be sure.

    I'm no expert but I have films from my two daughters that range from the low twenties to the upper forties.
    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."

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Pooka1
      Yes it does though I would want to try to measure it to be sure.

      I'm no expert but I have films from my two daughters that range from the low twenties to the upper forties.

      Is there a way i can or anyone else can measure it?Not of my dr's or even my surgeon actually measured it,the surgeon said he'd guess it to be about 30 degrees. I had surgery in 05.Still having lots of pain.My sciatica is more tolerable but back pain is worse

      Comment


      • #4
        Surgeon never measures postop curves

        Originally posted by scoliosisguy
        Is there a way i can or anyone else can measure it?Not of my dr's or even my surgeon actually measured it,the surgeon said he'd guess it to be about 30 degrees. I had surgery in 05......My sciatica is more tolerable but back pain is worse
        WHAT???? I am shocked that you haven't been measured --especially with your complaints of pain. I suggest a second opinion from a recommended surgeon having experience with prior fusions. Copies of your pre-and post op x-rays would help the second opinion. They are your property and you are entitled to them.

        Nobody on-line here is qualified to measure your x-rays. Only an experienced doc is qualified to do this in person.


        My surgeon measured my, residual post-op, curves every visit for the past 5 1/2 years and they the correction is holding--and I have no pain.
        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Karen Ocker
          WHAT???? I am shocked that you haven't been measured --especially with your complaints of pain. I suggest a second opinion from a recommended surgeon having experience with prior fusions. Copies of your pre-and post op x-rays would help the second opinion. They are your property and you are entitled to them.

          Nobody on-line here is qualified to measure your x-rays. Only an experienced doc is qualified to do this in person.


          My surgeon measured my, residual post-op, curves every visit for the past 5 1/2 years and they the correction is holding--and I have no pain.

          Wow,thats good to hear you have no pain.

          Comment


          • #6
            I agree with Karen, I can't believe your doctor did not measure your curve. My doctor fixed my top two curves, my bottom curve should correct on its own but my doctor said he will measure it every visit because if it does not correct and I am still having lower back pain, he may need to go back in and fix the rest of the spine. I would think your doctor would be concerned you are still having pain. I also am not sure looking at your xray on your curve, I would really ask a doctor.
            Jamie Age 29
            Mother to a 6 year old daughter & an 11 month old baby boy.

            2000 Curves - 28/40/32
            2008 Curves - 39/63/44
            Surgery Date - 3/25/08
            T4 - L1

            63 degrees corrected to 15 degrees !

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Karen Ocker
              WHAT???? I am shocked that you haven't been measured --especially with your complaints of pain. I suggest a second opinion from a recommended surgeon having experience with prior fusions. Copies of your pre-and post op x-rays would help the second opinion. They are your property and you are entitled to them.

              Nobody on-line here is qualified to measure your x-rays. Only an experienced doc is qualified to do this in person.


              My surgeon measured my, residual post-op, curves every visit for the past 5 1/2 years and they the correction is holding--and I have no pain.
              It seems to me that there are a few things that might be going on here.

              I do not believe any surgeon would operate on anyone without measuring the Cobb angle if only in a CYA, "cover your bases" mode. My guess as to what is happening here is that the surgeon gave him a guess PRIOR to actually measuring it.

              On the other hand, if the surgeon knows for sure the sciatica is originating in that area of curvature of the back and thinks doing something further there will alleviate the pain, then it really doesn't matter what the angle is, does it?

              As to lay folks measuring Cobb angles, it seems to me surgeons/radiologists/etc. are looking for the first vertebrae down that is affected and the last one. At least that's what my daughter's films show. Now I'm sure there are tricky areas but if you look at enough of these, you can develop an eye for "higher" versus "lower" curvatures. For example, I can put my daughters' films in order from lowest to highest without looking at the identifying data on the films (who, when, etc.).

              And beyond relative curvature, maybe measuring these angles is rocket science but it certainly doesn't seem so, especially if you know the vertebrae that the surgeon is using as end points. Once you know which vertebrae, the rest is absolutely straightforward. A chimpanzee with a ruler and protractor could determine the angle at that point. So the main if not only thing is knowing which vertebrae to use as end points.

              Or maybe I'm all wet on this. But it doesn't strike me as the most difficult exercise in the world.

              sharon
              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."

              Comment


              • #8
                Okay I got out a film of a 29* curve and I put it near the screen.

                I don't really know where a surgeon would decide to measure from but I did try to eyeball the curvature of your curve versus the one I have measured at 29*.

                I'm thinking yours might be roughly 35* plus or minus a large number! If you knew which vertebrae to measure between, you could measure it yourself. Actually, there are relatively few choices on those films about where to measure from. So you could get a few numbers which would bracket the actual number I imagine.

                Good luck.
                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."

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Pooka1
                  Okay I got out a film of a 29* curve and I put it near the screen.

                  I don't really know where a surgeon would decide to measure from but I did try to eyeball the curvature of your curve versus the one I have measured at 29*.

                  I'm thinking yours might be roughly 35* plus or minus a large number! If you knew which vertebrae to measure between, you could measure it yourself. Actually, there are relatively few choices on those films about where to measure from. So you could get a few numbers which would bracket the actual number I imagine.

                  Good luck.

                  THanks
                  I understand it may be inaccurate.
                  I was always just curious as to what it actually is.
                  I don't know if it was actually measured at one time or not,but you'd think he would have and would again in future to see if it progresses further.
                  I feel it may be progressing further as I now have developed a a lump on my right side further up from the curve itself.
                  I asked my dr's I see and had them look at the lump and one said its muscles deconditioning,another said its either muscles moved from their original loaction to accommadate for the curve and another said it my be curve progressing.
                  Most said its not likely my curve with not progress.I read however that its a 75% chance that congenital scoliosis curves will progress continually.
                  I was never fused.I had sciatica real bad,degenrative disc,inflammation,arthritis and daily pain from the scoliosis.In 2005 I had a diskectomy to tame down my sciatica some becasue I could hardly walk at that time.I still have sciatica but not as bad.I cannot walk far or long or be on my feet for long at all.Sometimes I get the sciatica symptoms while sitting.I am on oxycontin,amitrypilene,and am going in to try steroid injection on May 19th.
                  What is anyones thoughts on what the new lump may be and whats causing it?I feel I'll probably get more info here than any of my dr's.I can find anyone in mediacal field who really cares much or really knows as my case is somehwhat unusual they say.I am 42 years old.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Okay.

                    I think you need to get some expert surgeon names from the adult patients on this site. You need someone VERY experienced with adult patients with your symptoms.

                    You need answers YESTERDAY and it's not clear that you have any actual answers yet or will get them from the present set of physicians you are working with now.

                    Good luck.

                    sharon
                    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."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Pooka1
                      Okay.

                      I think you need to get some expert surgeon names from the adult patients on this site. You need someone VERY experienced with adult patients with your symptoms.

                      You need answers YESTERDAY and it's not clear that you have any actual answers yet or will get them from the present set of physicians you are working with now.

                      Good luck.

                      sharon

                      I have yet to find a dr. I trust or that seems to actually care.I am little skeptical there is one out there.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        There ARE surgeons out there who care and who are competent to the point of artistry. My daughter's pediatric orthopedic surgeon is one of them.

                        You need to find someone like that. Please don't give up. I hope someone with similar symptoms who was helped will post to this thread very soon.

                        It might help if you stated where you live. That might get the ball rolling as to recommendations of particular surgeons.

                        Seriously, don't lose hope. I have been very comforted by the testimonials from the adult patients in terms of knowing there is a hope for a second and third and more chances if my daughter's fusion needs revision.

                        Good luck.

                        sharon
                        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."

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Pooka1
                          There ARE surgeons out there who care and who are competent to the point of artistry. My daughter's pediatric orthopedic surgeon is one of them.

                          You need to find someone like that. Please don't give up. I hope someone with similar symptoms who was helped will post to this thread very soon.

                          It might help if you stated where you live. That might get the ball rolling as to recommendations of particular surgeons.

                          Seriously, don't lose hope. I have been very comforted by the testimonials from the adult patients in terms of knowing there is a hope for a second and third and more chances if my daughter's fusion needs revision.

                          Good luck.

                          sharon

                          I'm in Wisconsin,with Dean health insurance.
                          Thanks for your kindness.
                          It helps to find people with similiar issues.

                          Comment

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