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My pre-op tomorrow and a brace question!

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  • My pre-op tomorrow and a brace question!

    Does anyone have any advice as to anything I might need to know about my pre-op or questions I should ask? Two questions I'm asking are - what exactly would happen to me if I didn't have the surgery (just like to know), and why will I not need a brace to wear after this surgery. My friend Debbie Ordes who is president of the scoliosis association spoke to me on the phone today, and mentioned that she was surprised that I wouldn't be wearing one afterward, as she was under the impression that most adults undergoing this surgery usually wore a brace afterward. Anyone know anything about that?
    Lynette - 44 years old.

    Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
    Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

    Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
    Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

    Surgery April 1st 2010.

    Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
    Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

  • #2
    I think that's changed over the years and now most don't wear a brace. My surgeon hadn't decided if I would or not until the surgery. I was to bring t-shirts "in case"... I believe my surgeon decided to have me wear a brace because mine was such a long fusion and once he got in there and did the surgery, he felt my bones were pretty fragile (osteopoenia) and the extra support would help prevent possible problems. (I could be wrong with this though.) But I know my surgeon does not brace all, or even most, adults.
    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

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    • #3
      Brace

      HI, i am having surgery next week -Thursday 3/25 and my Dr had me fitted for a brace that i will be wearing after the surgery. My surgery will be posterior spinal fusion T10 to pelvis. My Dr is Dr. Sethie, Johnson City, NY. getting nervous as the day becomes closer. Barb

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi--I didn't have a brace but my roommate in rehab had Bridwell, Lenke's partner, and she did wear one. She was a little older than I. Janet
        Janet

        61 years old--57 for surgery

        Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
        Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
        Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
        Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
        T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

        All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

        Comment


        • #5
          Lynette

          I grew 4 inches and looked like I was 6 months along. So, after I went down and the brace guy did a whole bunch of sawing to make it fit, it felt like I was wearing a garbage can. I had big changes to my shape.
          Large anteriors with Ileus make guys look at maternity clothes. LOL

          Some here have had their braces made after their surgeries. That seems to make more sense to me.

          The main reason for a brace is just in case you fall. That is not allowed right after surgery. No falls, no slips, no trips. The sudden jolt or force just isnt a good idea. Car accidents are not allowed either. Talk about force! Wow.

          When I would get into and out of my bath tub, I adopted a rock climbing stance with 3 points of contact. In other words, just don’t stand up without arms bracing somewhere else. Always have the arms out gripped on something, expecting to fall. Play it safe and move slow until you are fused.

          There is no need for a brace if sudden jolts, falls, or forces happen. It is used as a safety measure, otherwise everyone would be wearing a post op brace.

          What would happen if you didn’t have surgery?
          Degeneration usually creates pain.
          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


          • #6
            Thanks everyone. It's interesting why some doctors choose to have their patients wear a brace, while others don't. I realize now - after you all explained it to me it's basically to give you extra protection - it seems like a sensible precaution to me, and I think I'd feel a little safer with one on rather than not. Especially having two little boys, who are very well built little boys, one of whom loves to run toward me full speed and throw his arms around me - which I love right now, but not after surgery! Even though I've explained very carefully to this little man not to do that when I get home from hospital - he says in his little voice "I'll TRY to remember mommy!"
            Lynette - 44 years old.

            Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
            Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

            Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
            Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

            Surgery April 1st 2010.

            Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
            Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Lynette..

              I agree that a lot of surgeons have moved away from having their patients use a brace postop. (A lot of surgeons never used them in the first place for that matter.) I think there are still some circumstances in which a postop brace is a good choice (e.g., poor bone quality, kyphosis).

              Be careful about pushing your surgeon to do things outside the norm. I think surgeons are often put off by patients who make it seem like they know better than themselves. My recommendation would be to mention that you have some concern about BLT (bending/lifting/twisting), especially in light of having two small kids at home.

              Regards,
              Linda
              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks Linda - I appreciate that bit of advice!
                Lynette - 44 years old.

                Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
                Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

                Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
                Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

                Surgery April 1st 2010.

                Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
                Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

                Comment


                • #9
                  My brace was fitted after surgery and honestly, I really don't mind it all that much. I will be in it at least until early June when we get fusion results from
                  CAT scan. I'm sure mine is because of the hardware placement that wasn't completed because of my bleeding. I feel more secure in it when I'm in crowded places and in the car, driving, etc. I have friends who wanted to sign it like a cast, paint turtle shell designs on it and umm, draw some anatomically correct illustrations! I think Dr. Lonner tends to err somewhat on the side of caution and that's fine with me. As good as I feel otherwise, it's a reminder of how fragile my back really is. Go with whatever your doc recommends.


                  Anne in PA
                  Age 58
                  Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
                  T4 to sacrum fusion
                  63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
                  Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
                  Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    My doctor said that he would decide after he does the surgery whether or not I would need a brace. He said that if it is difficult for him to know in advance if a patient will need one

                    If a brace is worn, what do you wear under it?

                    Melissa

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Around the house (and around good friends--hence the comments about illustrations), I wear it right over my clothes. I really don't care--it's like a cast. Today I have it on over a tank underneath and just a light pullover on top. It blends well with cream colored tops with a jacket to cover, too. You don't want it rubbing directly against your skin so you need at least a t-shirt or cami or something if you want it under your clothes. I guess I'm not much of a fashionista and I'm not teaching right now, so not a big deal. I really can't maneuver going to the bathroom with it on, so that's kind of annoying. PT showed me how to get it on and off myself by keeping one side always velcro-ed and backing up against the wall for some leverage. It is bulky so you need some loose-fitting tops and/or jackets. For me, it's a small price to pay for feeling this good and in my case, I want that extra security since I have a "few missing screws."


                      Anne in PA
                      Age 58
                      Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
                      T4 to sacrum fusion
                      63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
                      Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
                      Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I also was fitted the next day after surgery. It didn't feel good to move around and roll in bed. My surgeon is one that braces everybody. I believe he does it to prevent twisting. He also has me wear a bone stimulator machine to accelerate fusion. He said that wearing this device could cut my time in half. We will find out, my next appt. is March 30th. I will be a little then four months post-op then.

                        rich

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                        • #13
                          After my first surgery I wore a corset type support brace when I wasn't lying down. It was fabric and had a velco closure and metal stays in it. I needed help at first getting in and out of that thing but after a day or two it got easier to do by myself.

                          After the second surgery (the anterior procedure with cesarean incision a month later) I was sent home with a wide stretchy support that had a wide velcro closure in the front. I was to wear that 24 hours (except showers) a day for 6 weeks. I really liked wearing it because of my incision in front and my inability to curl down to support that area when I moved - I really appreciated the extra support.

                          I didn't ask Dr. Kebaish if he braced his other patients...I didn't really think of it at the time and I didn't ask him before the surgery - I guess I wasn't that concerned about it.
                          Julie - 51 yrs old

                          Dx'd 1973 - 43* thoracic curve / rotation
                          Wore Milwaukee brace 1973 - 1979
                          Pre-surgery: 63* thoracic / 52* lumbar curves


                          Surgeries: P - March 16, 2009 - Fused T3-S2 with pelvic fixation
                          A -April 14, 2009 - Fused L5-S1
                          Achieved +70% Correction
                          Dr. Khaled Kebaish, (and team) Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore


                          Standing x-ray
                          New Spine 03/19/2009
                          New Spine Lateral 03/19/2009

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