Is revision surgery to be expected?

[Trin]

Hi everyone,

It's been a while. How are you all?

I come here this evening with one simple question: when is revision surgery required? The reason I ask is, I had my first surgery done on August 30, 2007. It was a spinal fusion, and I had two rods, 23 screws and 10 hooks put in. Everything has been fine when I've gone for my post-op appointments. My next one is in June. Anyway, I was taking a bath tonight and my mom told me it looks like I'm starting to lean again. It was probably just the way I was sitting, but that's the last thing I wanted to hear as I'm absolutely terrified of my back regressing to the way it was before my surgery (I was 100+ degrees) and terrified of having surgery again in general. But, as I'm reading through the posts in the revision board, it looks like a revision surgery is pretty much to be expected when you have scoliosis and have had surgery to repair it. Am I wrong? Under what circumstances would I need a revision surgery? Is there a chance I won't at all and I'm just being overly paranoid? Are there cases of people that have gone through life just fine without needing any type of revision surgery?

Like I said, I'm probably just being paranoid, but hearing that from my mom and then reading that I might need a second (or more) kinda worries me.

[Karen Ocker]

My revision surgery was 46 years after my original. (See my info below)

I am now 6 years post revision and doing great. There are no guarantees. Untreated scoliosis is worse.

[Pooka1]

But, as I'm reading through the posts in the revision board, it looks like a revision surgery is pretty much to be expected when you have scoliosis and have had surgery to repair it. Am I wrong?

Yes you are wrong per our surgeon.

All cases are different.

Good luck.

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

It sometimes seems like everyone needs revision, but I believe that's because the people who don't need additional surgery are far less likely to stick around and post.

Leaning can be a sign that you've got a problem with the prior fusion. But, it also could be nothing. I can tell you that at a few years post op, I discovered that I was able to slouch, which made me look similar to how I looked before surgery. It was nothing other than my muscles finally being fully relaxed.

I think it would be a good idea to move your appointment up, if possible, to see if there's anything wrong with your implants. There's no emergency, but it will probably drive you nuts until you know for sure.

There are a lot of reasons for revision surgery. The most common would be areas that don't fuse properly and degenerative problems in the discs above or below the fusion. The good news is, that if you do have to have revision surgery, it's often not nearly as difficult as the original surgery.

Good luck.

Regards,
Linda

[Singer]

I've noticed that when I'm tired, my left shoulder tends to droop, which it did pre-surgery, but I believe it's muscular and has to do with weak muscles on my right side, where I have the long anterior incision. I've gotten lazy about doing my core-building exercises and need to pick them up again.

Regarding revision surgery: Dr. B said there was probably a "50-50" chance that my fusion would have to be extended to the sacrum sometime in the future, and that it would be a much easier surgery than the first. It's something I just can't worry about or I'll go nuts. So far, so good.

[debbei]

I'm with you Chris,

Dr. Neuwirth told me that we're all hoping that my last 2 disks on the bottom hold out for a very very long time, but eventually I might need more surgery. I'm just trying to live in the moment now and not worry about it until (and IF) the time comes.

[JulieBW]

revision isn't usual

As you can tell from my signature line, my surgery was done over 40 years ago. My doctors were doing one surgery per week at the time, and I have never seen anyone else here who had surgery done by these doctors. That makes me think that there are a lot of people out there who are doing just fine and don't post here.

[Pooka1]

As you can tell from my signature line, my surgery was done over 40 years ago. My doctors were doing one surgery per week at the time, and I have never seen anyone else here who had surgery done by these doctors. That makes me think that there are a lot of people out there who are doing just fine and don't post here.

And that's with the old instrumentation.

Per our surgeoin, the new stuff is so good that it puts people back in the population. I call that a "cure."

[txmarinemom]

I come here this evening with one simple question: when is revision surgery required? The reason I ask is, I had my first surgery done on August 30, 2007

... <snip> ...

... as I'm reading through the posts in the revision board, it looks like a revision surgery is pretty much to be expected when you have scoliosis and have had surgery to repair it. Am I wrong?

... <snip> ...

Are there cases of people that have gone through life just fine without needing any type of revision surgery?

"Wrong" is a little extreme. I think "misinterpreted what you read on revisions" is more apropos.

As others have said, there are no guarantees. *However*, the simple fact a revision area exists on this forum doesn't mean that everyone - or even a significantly notable portion of people - with modern instrumentation systems will EVER require revision.

Go back and take a look at the majority of people who post in the revision area, in particular, their initial surgery date, and the type of hardware initially installed. You'll find a LARGE portion of them had Harrington rods placed many years ago. Trin, that was 1st generation hardware ... and the first available modern solution to surgically correct scoliosis outside of fusing and casting.

I personally know people who had Harrington rods placed in the 70's, 80's and 90's who have had NO issues - or only minor issues that required revision as simple as snipping off a part of the rod that was causing irritation. Note I said I know people who have had NO issues ... at ALL.

There are some people in the revision section who have been revised due to infection, screws dislodging, bone density issues, etc., but they aren't the majority.

If you're truly paranoid something's wrong, why not check with your surgeon before June? No sense waiting and worrying until then. Ask HIM/HER about revision rates, and get the real facts.

BTW, my surgeon told me he doesn't anticipate I'll ever need a revision. That's good enough for me, although I doubt I'd worry about it anyway. Life's too short to worry about what-if's, and I completely understand Debbe and Singer's outlook about the few remaining discs below their fusion. I'd have done exactly the same thing with a low fusion ... leave the area unfused as long as possible, enjoy life, and if I had to cross that bridge later for an extension, well ... whatever.

Nothing guarantees ANY of us will even BE here tomorrow: Why live your life in fear of what MIGHT happen and lose today's enjoyment?

Regards,
Pam