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I am so sorry to hear about your problem. Last year , March 2011, when my rod broke, all the surgeons that I saw said that they would remove it . Please keep us informed.
Gayle,
I feel so bad for you that this has happened. No one wants to think of another surgery, but, hopefully, the recovery will be easier if surgery is necessary.
Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right. http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
I am anxious to talk to Dr Hart tomorrow. My hospital was able to send the x-rays electronically to him so he will be able to view them right away.
I am guessing the next step is a CT scan. If surgery is necessary (can't imagine avoiding it after seeing the x-rays), I would like to get through it as soon as possible and get on with my life!
Thanks everyone for all the well wishes, and I will post when I have news tomorrow.
Gayle, age 50
Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1
mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
2017 curves stable/skeletely mature
Best Wishes for your visit with your surgeon tomorrow and a smooth recovery from here.
Resilience
treated w Milwaukee Brace FT for 3 yrs
currently 46 with 35 LL and 40 RT curves
8 yr old diagnosed w Scoli 8/10 with 27 LL and 27 RT
11/10 TLSO Full Time
4/11 22 LL and 24 RT on waiting list for VBS at Shriners Phila
12/11 curves still in the 20s but now has some rib cage changes from the brace
VBS 4/25/12 with Dr. Samdani. Pre Op: 29 RT and 25 LL Post Op: 17 RT and 9 LL
10/13: 15 RT and 10 LL
I am really sorry to hear about this. The same thing just happened to Naptown78 (Kristy). She will be having surgery to address the unfused area, but I believe she said the rods would be repaired, rather than replaced.
I hope you are not in too much pain. Best wishes for getting this resolved quickly and smoothly!
Evelyn
age 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
Gayle,
How horrible is that? After all those x-rays telling you everything is fine. And your surgery was more than one year ago. I am so sorry. You must be so upset about this. Lets hope the Doc's can get you fixed up really soon so you can get on with your life. It's things like this that give all of us pause when we hear a pop or feel a pain that isn't our norm or slip and fall down. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sally
Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
Gayle,
I am so sorry to hear this! I thought you were "out of the woods" after your pre-Christmas x-ray looked okay. Drat!
Your surgery was similar to mine and shortly after mine, so I have always paid careful attention to your posts and progress. It's hard to believe that you were so pain free and then wammy, broken rods.
I hope the repair is relatively easy on you!
Thinking of you,
Kathy
Kathy 46 yrs at surgery, now 50
71 degree thoracolumbar curve corrected to 34 degrees
8/2/2010 surgery with Dr. Lenke
posterior T9 to sacrum with pelvic fixation 4 osteotomies and 1 cage http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/...athK_08022010/
I was finally able to speak to my surgeon's PA today, and she said the rods are broken at L2/3 on one side and L3/4 on the other, so pseudoarthrosis at two levels as far as they can tell. I go next Tuesday for a CT scan, more x-rays, to meet with Dr Hart to go over the surgical plan, then a pre-op appt with the PA including labs and pre-op instructions, etc. They will give me a surgery date at that appointment, but I know it will be soon.
So far the PA said I would need an XLIF at L2/3 and L3/4, then posterior revision with refusion of the unfused levels, with two additional (shorter) rods being placed alongside the broken rods. I don't quite get how that works but Dr Hart is trying to avoid having to open the entire incision. Surgery will be about 6 hours, so no small deal.
I am trying to stay positive, and I am glad that things are getting lined up for a prompt revision, so I can get on with healing-again. It is really hard to believe this is happening.
Gayle, age 50
Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1
mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
2017 curves stable/skeletely mature
Gayle--
I'm so sorry to hear about this. That's awful. You are keeping quite a positive attitude about it all and that's good. I hope the revision is swift and recovery is too! Janet
Janet
61 years old--57 for surgery
Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.
All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.
Sorry to hear that you have to have another surgery. Best Wishes for a date as soon as possible so you can start to move forward. I know you will get a lot of support here, you give so much to so many here and on the VBS site. Please lean on us if you need anything.
Resilience
treated w Milwaukee Brace FT for 3 yrs
currently 46 with 35 LL and 40 RT curves
8 yr old diagnosed w Scoli 8/10 with 27 LL and 27 RT
11/10 TLSO Full Time
4/11 22 LL and 24 RT on waiting list for VBS at Shriners Phila
12/11 curves still in the 20s but now has some rib cage changes from the brace
VBS 4/25/12 with Dr. Samdani. Pre Op: 29 RT and 25 LL Post Op: 17 RT and 9 LL
10/13: 15 RT and 10 LL
Gayle, so sorry you're going through all this. Sending best wishes & prayers for a successful revision & an easy a recovery as possible.
Mom of 14yo son diagnosed Oct 2011
Surgery 1/3/12 w Dr. Geof Cronen,
Tampa General Hospital T3 to L1
Jacob's pre surg curves: T58 & L31 12/28/11
photos & xrays in "First-Time Surgery" thread "Before & After"
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