Ed - Reply from Dr. Scoliosis on Australian forum

[JenniferG]

I just noticed we had a reply to your question and here it is:

Thank you for your enquiry.

You should look at rod removal on our website which answers some of your questions.

The Dr Scoliosis on duty happened to be praticsing when Harrington rods were introduced in the early 60s. The Dr Scoliosis on duty was active in practice when Harrington instrumentation was supplanted by Cotrel Dubousset instrumentation in the mid 1980s. Since then there are many variations on the principle set down by the French surgeons. Now the forms of instrumentation that are available, and there are many of these, provide the rigid fixation which is optimal for the healing of the spinal fusion. It is the spinal fusion which is important, not the rods, but the greater rigidity of the systems available today favours early healing and permits rapid mobilisation. Now external support, that is, a cast after the surgery, is hardly ever required. This is because the instrumentation is so effective.

I have viewed your post-operative radiograph and you seem to have obtained an excellent correction.

Dr Scoliosis

[titaniumed]

Woah.....a pioneer.

I can understand as an elder scoli surgeon, not jabbing the old systems, instead praising the new systems.....it wasn’t the answer I wanted but that’s ok.

Jen, tell him thanks for answering the question, and a very sincere thank you for helping scoli’s and the scoliosis community forge ahead through the years....

and thank you for asking for me.

Ed