Brace AFTER surgery????

[Radiogirl]

Brace after surgery? I recently scheduled my surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis. I will be traveling from Cleveland for this. The first time he could get me in isn't until next May! (2010). My question is this. I noticed a lot of people mentioning braces AFTER surgery. He never once mentioned that to me. Does everyone have to wear that after surgery? My curve is 62 degrees and he said I will be fused from T3 to L3.

Also..anyone that has traveled far for surgery...how in the world can you fly after surgery??? Yikes!

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer. Also, if you have used Lenke I would be interested to know your experience with him.

Radiogirl aka Laura

[debbei]

Brace after surgery? I recently scheduled my surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis. I will be traveling from Cleveland for this. The first time he could get me in isn't until next May! (2010). My question is this. I noticed a lot of people mentioning braces AFTER surgery. He never once mentioned that to me. Does everyone have to wear that after surgery? My curve is 62 degrees and he said I will be fused from T3 to L3.

Also..anyone that has traveled far for surgery...how in the world can you fly after surgery??? Yikes!

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer. Also, if you have used Lenke I would be interested to know your experience with him.

Radiogirl aka Laura

Laura,

I am also fused T3 to L3, posterior only surgery, and my Dr. did not have me wear a brace. It seems to me that it's really personal preferance of each surgeon; some do and some do not, at least for posterior-only surgery.

[Doodles]

I had Dr. Lenke do my surgery March 30th and I didn't wear a brace either. I believe he might with adolescents but not sure. You are in good hands! Janet

[lapieper]

Laura,

I wore a brace after surgery, fusing T2 to S2. It may depend on the amount you have fused. I think it's mainly to protect the fusion and yourself from straining or stressing the fusion. I wore mine during the day only, removing it for potty breaks and bed time. If I was sitting fairly still, I was allowed to not wear it. But I had to wear it to get up and move around. Since I was up and down a lot, I seemed to wear it alot. And mine was made for me on Day 5 or 6, once I was moved from the regular hospital room to the Rehab Floor. There was no physical therapy on weekends and I went to Rehab on a Friday, I believe. So I really didn't get up out of bed or anything until PT showed up on Monday. Once I had the brace fitted and PT was in place, I was up and at 'em! Since my surgery was in April, I was still wearing jackets and coats. Never worried about walking with my brace, but hated to go to the grocery store or work with it on. But, hey, I HAD to wear it and a jacket or hoodie covers it pretty nicely.

Lesley

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

At one time, I thought everyone who had scoliosis surgery had a post-surgical brace. For a long time, that was the case here on the west coast. More and more, it seems that fewer surgeons are using post-op braces. The use of pedicle screws makes the construct so secure that many surgeons now feel that braces aren't necessary.

Regards,
Linda

[always smilin']

I was recently fused T3-L3 (posterior and anterior) with no brace afterwards.

[Cimbom]

I was fused from T12-L3 this April and I had to wear a brace for three months afterwards. I get to start weaning out of it tomorrow! It's not too bad though, after you get through the first painful few weeks

[52skeedoo]

My doctor said that he used to brace or cast everyone but now the technology is so good that most people do not need a post op brace.

He said that he would only use one for me if, during the surgery, he found my bones were at all weak. If my bones were strong, then the screws would hold and no brace would be necessary. As it turned out, I did not need a brace.

I do not know about flying post-op but I read about someone who did it and said it wasn't as bad as she expected. You might try searching for "travel" or "flying" to see if you can find that. I would be sure to take pillows along.

Sheri

[Vali]

I had anterior/posterior surgery and my surgeon made no mention of a brace. In fact, I don't think that any of the surgeons in the clinic use bracing after surgery. (Icould be wrong - will ask on Tuesday at post-op appt). However, I wonder if this has anything to do with restrictions that are placed on patients, for instance my surgeon said that I was not even allowed to put a dish in the dishwasher, was only allowed to sit for ten minutes at a timeand that if I wasn't walking or sitting, I should be lying down. Any thoughts?

[twistedmama81]

I wore a brace after my surgery as well..

And I did fly home after my surgery. My surgery was done in Plano, Texas which is 365 miles from my home in Odessa, Texas. Of course there was no way I could withstand a 6 hour road trip after such a grueling surgery.

I remember I felt every bump on the way to the airport from the hospital, which was 13 miles. I got to the airport, and I of course am heavily medicated, in my brace no less, and I'd get nauseous whenever I'd have to sit up for long..I kept getting hot and I'd try and lay on the bench seats with my mother fanning me.

We were told to be at the airport 2 hours prior to take off...an hour to check in, then another hour to wait for the plane...it was pretty rough, but as long as I laid down, I seemed to be ok.

Then getting on the plane: this was my first time to fly ever, and my visions of what a plane ride would be like was distorted by tv lol. I was expecting a little room...umm no. Of course, this was a coach seat on Southwest...but I felt sooooo uhh suffocated I guess. I was gonna sit by the window, as to not have the other dozens of passengers bump into me but the ceiling above the seat was too low by the window seat and I couldn't bend over or duck my head even, so I had to sit in the row seat.

I was in my brace, sitting up, hot and miserable and in pain...I was the first to board, so I had to sit and watch everyone board...then it took 50 minutes to get home. I thought that plane would never end. My mother sat beside me, but of course I couldn't lean over and rest my head on her shoulder. It was very, very difficult to fly home...exhausting too. After landing I still had a 20 minute car ride to get home, and the first thing I did was recline the seat.

The airline gave me pillows, if you want to call them that, but really, with limited movement of your neck and limited flexibility, they are no use. If I could have, I would have flown first class to have a roomier flight but that wasn't an option for me.

[twistedmama81]

Sorry, ran outta room...guess its because I am on my phone...

Anyways my scoliosis surgery book warned that travelling home from the hospital would be rough period, but especially so if you lived far away. So I wish you lots and lots of luck! you can do it!! Basically have to just grin and bear it to get on home...

[Doodles]

I had a 7 hour ride home from St. Louis. We went about half way and got a motel and did the rest the next day. Otherwise, I couldn't have done it. This was with several stops also to walk around a bit. Janet

[asccbodypro]

bracing

Laura,

I was fused from L5-T5 and also had 3 lumbar disc's removed which is why my doctor choose for the tlso brace post surgery. I can tell you I absolutely hated it on first sight! I think I had issues left over from childhood. However, once I realized that there was no way around it and after the first 2 tough weeks adjusting to the brace, the first 2 1/2 months went by fast and I was doing so well that the doc let me ween out of it at that time. I would say it took me about 2 weeks to ween out of it. I took a while to build up the muscles to sit again and be comfortable.

As far as the travel, I live about 20 minutes from the hospital when there is no trafic. I can't imagine having to travel home via plane post surgery but there are many who do. I guess if you find the surgeon best for you then you work out the details as best you can.....good luck!