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  • pre-op ? -enema

    This may be a gross question, but the doctor has said that I need to use magnesium citrate the night before and 2 enemas the morning of surgery. Assuming I follow directions well...will I be able to make a 1 hour drive to the hospital in the morning? This seems like such a dumb question - but this seems like a lot of "cleaning" out and I really want to be home before surgery and not in a hotel room. Just curious how the rest of you handled this? or if you had to handle this?

    Always Smilin'
    Colleen

    1982 fused T2-L1
    pre op 45 - post op 33 (left thoracic)
    pre op 53 - post op 18 (right thoracic)

    recheck 2006
    right thoracic 57
    lower lumbar 34

    surgical revision April 28,2009
    revision T3-L1; new fusion L1-L4
    unsure of degrees at this point

  • #2
    Hi Always,

    I wasn't told to do any of that. My surgery was posterior only. I wonder if this is something that's done for anterior surgeries? My husband had to do that stuff for colon surgery 6 years ago, which I understand, but I'm not sure I understand why for spinal surgery. Good luck with all that prep. Be sure to let us know how you're doing afterwards.
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Always,

      Interesting. Sounds like he is a clean Doctor.

      I found that the Magnesium citrate worked quickly. You might want to take it about 3 hrs before going to bed, so you can sleep 8 hrs. Otherwise you might be up in the middle of the night. I did not have to do this for my scoli surgeries.

      Ask him.
      Ed
      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

      My x-rays
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

      Comment


      • #4
        I had to use a Fleets enema (?) that they gave me-- and since we were staying in a hotel near the hospital, that's where I had to do it. I survived it ok. It actually wasn't as bad as I was thinking it would be. I think some docs just want you cleaned out so there will be no problems either during the surgery or after. Anyway, it sounded like standard procedure where I was.
        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

        Corrected to 15°
        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

        Comment


        • #5
          You just haven't lived until you've given yourself an enema in a hotel room the night before surgery... LOL
          I didn't take one the morning of, just the night before.
          Chris
          A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
          Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
          Post-op curve: 12 degrees
          Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

          Comment


          • #6
            Reason for enemas

            With an anterior approach and dealing with the lumbar area, the bowel is moved aside in order to approach the anterior spine. This is facilitated when the bowels are empty. If the bowels are distended with gas or waste material they are more prone to being accidentally punctured

            If you have any difficulties with the pre-op protocol ask your doctor for an alternative one.
            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

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            • #7
              EekkkkK! I had to have my "colon blow" too..and trust me, it wasnt pretty. They were expecting me to have anterior and posterior and needed to be sure I was completely empltied out. I had to drink 2 of those nasty things and do 2 enema's. The 2nd enema was supposed to have been done the morning of the surgery....I decided not to do the last one as literally, there was nothing left to get out!!! End up of course, I didnt need to do all of that as they decided last min to only go in posterior!! Figures!!
              Lynn -30.... something
              DxD @ 8 yrs old: 10* curve-no brace-no nothin'!
              At age 26: Thorasic 48*/Lumbar 50*
              At age 34: Thorasic 58*/Lumbar 60*
              Posterior T5-L4 Fusion Jan 14th, 2009 w/Dr Tribus
              UW Madison, WI Hospital
              **AFTER: less than 10* Thorasic/15* Lumbar**

              Comment


              • #8
                I had enemas for both my surgeries. Both times they were done by a nurse in the hospital the morning before surgery.

                Hopefully I'll never have to go through anything like that again. I'm an 'exit only' kind of guy.
                Surgeries July 26th & August 3rd 1983 (12 years old)
                Still have 57 degree curve
                2 Harrington rods
                Luque method used
                Dr David Bradford
                Twin Cities Scoliosis Center
                Preop xray (with brace on)
                Postop xray

                Comment


                • #9
                  THanks for the replies. Interesting info Karen. I'll be sure to take it 3 hours before bed and then in the morning? Lynn - did you take enema in the morning or at night? Sorry for being gross - but these are questions I have. Only 5 more days of freedom

                  Always Smilin'
                  Colleen

                  1982 fused T2-L1
                  pre op 45 - post op 33 (left thoracic)
                  pre op 53 - post op 18 (right thoracic)

                  recheck 2006
                  right thoracic 57
                  lower lumbar 34

                  surgical revision April 28,2009
                  revision T3-L1; new fusion L1-L4
                  unsure of degrees at this point

                  Comment

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