incision

[spincon58]

Hay Nancy, don't leave us..we need u here on this siight!!!I'm doing great!! I went to physcially therapy and i was embrassed how high he lifted my leg? I said it didn't hurt..so he kept lifting LOL..thats because I trained prior years from surgery..anyway..besides the pain and stiffness from waking up in bed, and just the late evening stress of standing all day is what causes some pain...Theresa, U sound like your doing much much better...it must be all those vacations u took in the summer....Have they decided about your job?do u start in september? I hope so..Mish..congrats on a surgery date..the scar i have is straight down my back from tip to neck and butt...it is numb and some spots are returning its feel, definitely werid sensations...Its just my right shoulder and my neck that is causing pain..when u have surgery everything gets shifted around and i guess my neck is out of alimement.....i C the dr. on the 9th.....so enjoy the last days of summer everyone !!!!

[leyvtl]

Hi Letty,
My name is Tiffany. Im 18 and have had 3 surgeries for my scoliosis. My first surgery the doctor cut me on the side (parts are still numb). The second time they cut me all the way down my back (pretty much my whole back is numb) the third one they used the same one on my side (of course, still numb)


God Bless,

[mish]

Letty

How long has it been since surgery?

I had hip surgery in 20 yrs ago, and now, the upper is still partially numb to the touch.

[pink_lady]

im just curious... does the scars look bad? i mean, if you're wearing a bikini. and has anyone had those keloid scars?

[blairf83]

My scar from my fusion (T2 to L1) runs from just below the end of my neck to my waist.
The bone graft site is different from most I've seen- it is only a couple inches long and is vertical.
I'm only a little over a year post op, but most of my back is either numb or really hypersensitive (toweling my back off after I shower is painful at times).
The bone graft site is also numb, and an inch wide band runs around my hip to the front, and then runs down my outer thigh.

[marianm803]

I don't understand why your back goes numb after the surgery. Aren't the nerves in your skin still alive?
Marian

[LindaRacine]

Marian...

I actually don't know the answer as to whether the nerves in the skin are still alive, or even if there are nerves in the skin. However, the surgeon has to cut through a lot of tissue to get to the spine, and there are a lot of nerves on the way there.

--Linda

[scoliosisguy]

with the anterior approach

How do they get by or past all your vital organs to perform the surgery?Do they remove them and replace them,or do they somehow get around them? Do you have any complications with any vital organs due to the anterior approach?

[LindaRacine]

Scoliosisguy...

First, I want to clarify that this is only an issue if anterior surgery is performed. I think that the only things in the way of the spine from the back is skin, tissue, nerves, and fat.

For anterior surgery of the thoracic spine, only the lungs are in the way. While it's called "anterior" surgery, the surgery is actually performed on the side of the body of the vertebrae, so only the lungs are in the way. For surgery on the lumbar spine, I believe that the abdominal organs are pushed off (retracted) to the side. I've never actually seen this done, but I recall a surgeon telling me that the abdominal contents were not removed from the abdominal cavity.

Regards,
Linda

[Lavinia]

Numbness post-op

Connie - I am also 2 months post-op and have a large numb area on my back, and I agree that although it is not pain, it is a very unpleasant sensation. Apparently it may be due to the nerves not yet having grown back - just knowing this helped me to some extent. My osteopath told me they grow at abou 2 mm a month, so with such radical incisions they have to take time.

I have found that the front area has regained most of its sensation, which gives me hope. Apart from that, hot water bottles and relaxation also seem to help to some extent.

Let me know how your recovery is going - it would be good to compare notes!

Best wishes,

Lavinia