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Growth and movement limitations

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  • Growth and movement limitations

    My 12 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with an 85 degree curvature. Sugery was recommended within 30 days. The surgery will be performed at Children's Hospital in New Orleans by Dr. King and Dr. Gonzales. They are telling me that they plan to fuse T4 to L4. My two main concerns are (1) potential growth stunt and (2) loss of motion. I am being told that she will still grow in proportion and that flexibilty restrictions will not be noticable. This seems too good to be true. Do you all have any advice that you can pass on to a new comer?

  • #2
    I've had the same concerns as yours regarding my son. I did get 4 opinions all recommending the surgery happen soon as well. They all seemed to indicate that, due to the fusion, my son would "only" lose about two inches off of what his height would have been if he did not have scoliosis. My son is on the shorter side of normal right now & has only just begun his adolescent growth spurt. If your daughter has already had most of her adolescent growth spurt like some girls seem to by age 12 (my mother used to say that she'd reached her final height by age 12), maybe maybe your daughter will lose even less height from the fusion. My understanding is that spinal growth is 80-90% complete by age 12 & that most height increase by now would be in their legs anyway.

    Regarding flexibility, what I was told was that my son would probably not notice much, if any, loss of flexibility. His back is already very inflexible due to the scoliosis & probably the brace he wore for almost 4 years. For example, he currently ties his shoes by sitting down or bending his knees; he can't reach down & touch his toes or tie his shoes without bending his knees. I would think that if your daughter is used to being flexible, she might notice a difference after the surgery but she is probably young enough to quickly accommodate herself to the changes.

    Good luck with your decision-making & the surgery if you decide to do it. I know how stressful a time this must be for you, your daughter (your whole family). I am deep in the throes of this stress as well, as you can see by my signature indicating our upcoming surgery date. You can get a lot of support & answers on this forum &, especially for your daughter, @ www.spinekids.com.
    Laurie

    Mother of Alexander & Zachary:
    Alex is 16 years old and in the 11th grade. He has congenital scoliosis due to a hemivertebrae at T10. Wore a TLSO brace for 3 1/2 years. Pre-op curves were T45 & L65; curves post-op are approx. T31 & L34. Had a posterior spinal fusion from T8 to L3 on 7/12/07 at age 12. Doing great now in so many ways, but still working on improving posture.
    Zach is 13 years old and very energetic.

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    • #3
      I am fused from t12 to L5 and have some limitations in movement. My daughter is fused from T7 to L3 and she dances (ballet, modern, and jazz). She is more flexable than me. It depends on how active a child is before surgery as to how active they will be after surgery. My daughter loves dance and couldn't wait to get back to dancing every day. She had to wait a few months.
      As for more growth, the doctors should have xrayed your daughter's wrist to see if the growth plate has closed there. When that one is closed, you are finished growing. If she has started her period, she should just about be finished growing.
      T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
      2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
      3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
      Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

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      • #4
        My daughter is 12, and I am also concerned about growth stunting and motion loss. She is scheduled Aug 22 for surgery, her curves are currently 61T and 53L, they have been progressing quite rapidly (in Feb, curves were 53T and 47L). We had hoped to delay surgery until at least October to allow her some more growth, but now the lumbar curve is becoming rigid and more real (in April all surgeons said the lumbar curve was compensating for the thoracic curve and that they would fuse T1-T10 or so). Now, and we won't know till bending xrays, the dr thinks lumbar curve may have to be corrected too, so all opinions are telling us not to delay this any longer. Also, she is only 12, has risser of 0, period has not started yet. She looks like she is all legs now, we have lots of really tall (6' +) women relatives, and she is only 5'2" now --

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        • #5
          Rainbow2010 - I can't tell you how much your post has cheered me up . My daughter lives to dance! It is the single most important thing in her life. We have been lead to believe that this will be have to change after fusion....

          Laura
          UK based Mum of Imogen, 38 degree curve at 9 years old. SpineCor since 15/6/07, 31 degrees in brace.
          10th December 07 - 27 degrees, 23rd June 08 - 26 degrees, Feb 09 - 24 degrees, Aug 09 - 35 degrees, Jul 10 - 47 degrees, Dec 10 - 50+ degrees.
          Surgery due to take place early December 2011 at the RNOH, England.

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          • #6
            The sooner the surgery with large curves the better the correction. Maybe she will end up taller in the long run now with a straighter back then if you waited for her to possibly grow and end up with larger residual curves and the same height.
            Longer waiting might entail a longer fusion. I am fused T-4 to sacrum and I live a perfectly normal life. My old fashioned fusion in 1956 was T-4 to L-1 and I was able to do the Limbo(going under that pole).
            Last edited by Karen Ocker; 07-18-2007, 04:04 PM.
            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
              My daughter's (future) surgeon has a different opinion. As long as the curve remains flexible he believes that he will get an excellent correction. The plan is to hold the curve for as long as possible by wearing Spinecor. As soon as it shows signs if becoming rigid he plans to operate. He says that surgery is inevitable but that he wants to buy time whilst she grows a little taller (currently only 4'6"). He said that he is happy for it to get as big as 70 degrees - as long as it's flexible. Makes sense to me!

              Laura
              UK based Mum of Imogen, 38 degree curve at 9 years old. SpineCor since 15/6/07, 31 degrees in brace.
              10th December 07 - 27 degrees, 23rd June 08 - 26 degrees, Feb 09 - 24 degrees, Aug 09 - 35 degrees, Jul 10 - 47 degrees, Dec 10 - 50+ degrees.
              Surgery due to take place early December 2011 at the RNOH, England.

              Comment

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