Hi All,
My daughter's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday 18th and today (Wednesday) we have just returned from our last visit with the anaesthetist. We are now facing a particular dilemma which is causing me much stress and I need some advice from you all.
What would you do?????
Tahlia has only 40% lung capacity and the anaesthetist and surgeon have given me two options:
1. go through the back only
2. go through front and back (that is, do the thoracotomy and anterior release)
The issues are that the surgeon does not think he can get much correction because Tahlia's curve is quite stiff. It is now also quite severe at 80 degrees. The issues we are facing with the reduced lung capacity is that she may be in ICU longer and they are talking a tracheotomy. They also outlined the risk of death following a previous patient who did not make it. They have made it clear that they are wary and cautious about doing the anterior surgery with her current lung functioning.
So at this point the surgeon is saying that even if he goes through both front and back, he is not sure how much correction he can get. So I am wondering if it's worth putting my daughter through that operation and the potential extra risks and impact on her lungs post-op if we may not get that much correction anyway. But if we go through back only, there is less chance of correction, but he can hold the curve.
So they are basically saying to me that the posterior and anterior is greater chance of success, but higher risk, whilst the posterior (back) only has less risk but also less chance of correction.
They are also suggesting that they could try to deflate the lung initially, to see if they are able to do this, and if not they won't go ahead with the anterior release because the surgeon needs to get high up in the chest!
I am SO SCARED and have no idea how to make this decision. What should I do? Can somebody please share with me how they would make this decision, or indeed what they would do if it were their 15 yo daughter.
I really need some guidance.
Thank you,
Lisa
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