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[jachar]

Hello again,

Does anyone know if it is more common to use stainless steel rods or titanium rods? We had our pre op visit on Friday and were told they are using stainless steel. I thought they were using titanium. Does anyone know the differences between the two in regards to use in this surgery? This dr. says he prefers stainless steel.

Also, (just venting here) I found out yesterday that we have to go back in for more xrays because the tech did the ones on Friday wrong. Ugh! Apparently he was supposed to call the dr. in when he was ready to take the films so the dr. could help in placement for bending xrays. I told the tech that was what the dr wanted and I even pointed it out on the paperwork where it said Call dr when ready, bending xrays. The tech told me that just meant call when the films were ready and that they didn't need help with placement. I thought he was wrong, but wondered if maybe I had misunderstood what the dr had said. Nope, sure enough I was right and he was wrong. That really makes me mad. This tech's mistake now causes us to take another day off work and school and make another trip down there, not to mention even more xray exposure to my daughter. I am sure it will be fine, but when things like this start to happen, it makes it hard to feel confident about the surgery. You start to question their competence.

Well, just wanted to find out about the steel vs titanium issue. Thanks!
Jaci

[Carmell]

Hi Jaci,

Sorry to hear about the tech's mess up. I know how frustrating that is. Ugh.

Both stainless steel and titanium are used routinely in scoliosis surgery. My son's rods are 100% titanium, which means he does NOT set off the metal detectors at the airport or other security areas. Titanium is usually better tolerate by the body - the body doesn't reject titanium as often. Also, titanium is lighter weight than stainless. Several benefits of titanium.

If you are still concerned, please ask your ortho to re-explain the benefits of stainless (besides HIS preference). Make sure its the right choice for your daughter.

Good luck!

[Bill's mom]

Jaci,

Our ortho told us that the patient cannot ever have an MRI after the surgery if they have stainless rods. You might want to ask your doctor about that.

Susan

[DaveWolpert]

There aren't any important differences betweens using stainless steel versus titanium. Steel hardware does not set off metal detectors, either, and although titanium is a bit lighter, the patient would never notice the difference in weight. Also, a small percentage of the population has an adverse reaction to nickel, a component of stainless steel, but this will only affect the patient if the hardware is manufactured incorrectly and "sheds" nickel particles, which is very rare.

The biggest difference between steel and titanium is cost. Titanium is significantly more expensive. Many surgeons thus use steel to control costs, or because some insurance companies will not pay for titanium.

In short, I wouldn't worry about your surgeon's decision on which type of hardware to use.

Dave

[mumof5]

We went through Australia's public health system for Amber's surgery. We didn't have to pay a cent. We were not even told about using titanium. I had gathered by reading here that it would have been more expensive that is why the free system doesn,t offer it.
I would like to add though that Amber does set off metal detectors. It was in a court house and rather embarrassed her.
Cheryl.

[Karen Ocker]

I have stainless steel and have set off metal detectors once. I think, because so many people around the world have various implants of all sorts, the security people have re-set the sensitivity. I have flown 4 times since my surgery 23 months ago. It only went off once.

Karen

[Theresa]

I have just flown to Arizona and Conneticut from Texas and have set all the machines off. When they pass the wand over me it went crazy when they got to my back. I also think that due to all the security measures the sensitivity is higher now.

[DaveWolpert]

Whether or not your steel instrumentation sets off detectors has a lot to do with how deep it is placed, and where on your spine it is located. Your spine is "deeper" into your body in your lower back, so instrumentation there is covered by a lot of tissue that blocks the scans of most metal detectors. The vertebrae in your upper back are much closer to the skin and thus instrumentation placed there is less protected. Children and small-framed or very thin adults generally have less tissue to block the scans, too.

Also, bone blocks the metal scans well. Pedicle screws, which are placed deep into the vertebrae, may block the scans better than hooks. How much bone grafting material is placed over your rods may play a role, too.

I have all pedicle screws, from T6 to L1. I've been through several airports and never set off a detector, even when the wand is placed flat against my back.

Dave

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

I have a long fusion, and both anterior and posterior implant systems. I used to set off the alarms about half of the time, and I was certain it was the implants. Then, after 9/11, when we started having to remove our shoes, I realized that I never set the alarms off. Turns out that there's metal in most shoes.

Regards,
Linda

[Alison]

My experiences with metal detectors: I have flown in Australia before and after Sept 11 across country and found in Perth that I registered slightly on the walk through metal detectors and with the wand one (we asked them to do it we were curious) it went nuts when it went over my back. Flying back from Sydney and going through the metal detectors (the ones you walk through) they went off. Off went my glasses, belt, keys, spare change, hair clips, earrings, hat. And I still set it off. No problems being an English speaking country (I didn't explain until the very last time I went through that I have rods in my back, I was curious to see if it was something else) I'm stumped what else it could have been setting it off, I was wearing cotton clothing with no metal in sight (ie no zips, no buttons, clasps etc)

My surgeon did suggest to me once, and I think its a reasonable idea, If you have any doubts that you might "set off" the metal detectors, That if you are going into a non- English Speaking country and don't speak the language, to take a copy of your x-rays in your carry on luggage (we actually managed to get a reduced copy) with a letter from your doctor explaining about the fusion etc and if you do set it off and can't work out what else it could be (also found going into nightclubs which have metal detectors they get rather suspicious, even if your scar is in full view) to get out the xrays and letter and show them that.

Alison


Perth: Set off wand, not the walk through
Sydney: Set off the walk through
United kingdom: set off wand, not walk through
Tasmania: set off walk through

[LindaRacine]

Alison...

Next time, try taking your shoes off to see if that changes things.

I carry a copy of my x-ray as a photo. To get a photo of your x-ray, take it while the doctor has your x-ray up on the light box. Or, tape a white sheet to a sunny window, tape your x-ray over the white sheet, and then take your photo.

--Linda

[jachar]

Hi,
Thanks so much for all the responses! I took some comments and suggestions that I read here and sent an email to the surgeon with questions. His reply was that the instrumentation he uses comes in stainless steel or titanium, but he prefers the stainless steel because it is a little stronger and he is able to control the correction a little better with it. He assured me it has nothing to do with budget. He said stainless steel has been used in the body for 50 years and has stood the test of time.

Apparently, department heads became aware of the xray mistake and had a conference about it. They appear to be taking steps to make sure the technicians follow directions. He assured me our experience with radiology did not reflect the care she would receive during and after surgery. He said his post op nurses were great, and very capable. (Yes, I questioned him in my email about the quality of care my daughter was going to receive because I wasn't feeling very confident about it)

Thanks again for the responses! This forum is so helpful. I am so grateful to have this resource.

Jaci

[Alison]

Hi Linda

I thought i had included shoes in the list (but on second reading I saw I didn't put them in whoops :-), I always remove my shoes first, and in Sydney I was wearing Doc Martins (which have metal on the shoe lace holes) and I was wearing all the other things on my previous list (and some of them such as my glasses and money I could understand them triggering the metal detector) But when all I was left with was my clothes (with no metal stuff in sight, and i wasn't wearing an underwire bra) and nothing else I became stumped at what else it could be (and the fact that I did not set off the walk through in Perth, but did in Sydney was strange for me). And I have no fillings in my teeth, no braces on my teeth, and the only other bit of metal is three teeny tiny clips in my ankle from ligament reconstruction, but they are micro tiny. So I'm stumped on what else i can "blame" for setting off the metal detectors, but i always find it rather entertaining ;-)

Alison

[mumof5]

I asked Amber's surgeon about this. He travels worldwide quite frequently and has pins in his knee. He said that it all depends on how sensitive the machines are set.
When we went into court Amber set off the walk through detector and when they put the wand over her it went crazy near her back and didn't even blip anywhere else.
Cheryl.