Hardware Removal

[ScoliGirl81]

Hello All,

I had a T4-L4 fusion four and a half years ago. Everything went great, my pain got better and everything, but now I think I'm having issues with the top anchoring screws. I have 5 at the top, 8 throughout the middle, and another 5 at the bottom.

What does the pain from the hardware feel like? It kind of burns in the upper thoracic area, so I'm sort of assuming that's it. It can be pretty painful at times, in addition to the burning sensation.

Are there exercise, therapies, massage, etc that can be done to help with this, or is surgical removal the only option? I'd hate to have them taken out and then have my curvatures progress. That would be my ultimate nightmare.

I would love to hear what you all think.


Thanks so much in advance!

[suzyjay]

My hardware will probably be removed, I have a staph infection (that I got from the hospital) since May. I have been on oral antibiotics and antibiotics IVs, but my blood test show signs of slight inflammation, which indicates an infection is present in my body somewhere. Once the staph infections get on the hardware it is hard to treat with antibotics. My surgeon said the infection is under control with the antibiotics that I am taking now but sooner or later he will probably have to remove the hardware, that would be the only way to get rid of this infection. I read in this forum that surgery to remove the hardware is not as bad as the first surgery and a quicker recovery and if the fusion is solid the curve shouldn't return. Good luck.

Sue

[lorrie]

Hi Suzyjay
Had you thought of looking into hyperbaric oxygen treatment to deal with the infection? My daughter also had a wound infection and we were also told that sooner or later the hardware would have to come out. She had a fortnight's treatment with HBO two yeras ago and came off the antibiotics shortly afterwards. We have had no sign of infection since and the hardware is still in place. She did have surgery a year ago to trim the top of her rods but swabs taken then did not grow anything. Full story is on the forum.
The HBO is painless and easy and doesn't give you side effects and extremely good at treating infection so it's certainly worth a try.
Lorrie

[suzyjay]

Thank you, I will definately look into that and bring it up to my infectious disease doctor when I see him next week.

Sue

[sccrm08]

Lorri,

can I ask why they needed to clip the top of her rods?

[lorrie]

Hi there
The rods wre trimmed because Genevieve developed a bad pressure sore across the top of the rods. They were somewhat prominent because she developed a junctional kyphotic deformity post surgery. By the time thry were trimmed they had actually rubbed right through her skin - I nearly died of shock when the dressing was changed and I could actually see the metal work!
She's been fine since and I can no longer feel the top of the rods.
Lorrie