Broken rod - anyone else experiencing globus?

[sweetness514]

You too, Fireman. Thanks.

I've known several people who have had to go back in to have one level fused, and they all say the surgery is a piece of cake compared to the first surgery. Hope it's the same for you.

--Linda

I had my rod replaced with bone fusion from my own fusion bed AND BMP added. It was no piece of cake, and the pain did resemble a lot of the first surgery I had, since they cut all my back again. I'm now almost 6 weeks post op and healing still, it takes time I know. The second surgery was a piece of cake, but that was only partial rod removal and it was only 1 year post op.

My opinion about scoliosis surgery is that I think there are way too many hardware breakage still and failure of fusions, especially when one like me doesn't drink or smoke, exercises and takes calcium, not that it is a guarantee anyway. Good luck to all who have to go through any type of revision surgeries, it's not fun I know especially when it happens in less than 10 years like it has to me. And doing a lot of what I had to do the first time like taking it easy and not bending, plus by my doc's orders not doing much of anything except walking a LOT(even in -25 temps) for the first three months takes courage. I just hope that my fusion heals well this time, not that any tests can tell me for sure. But I will take it easy for a while that's for sure, and won't do as much as I did before when I didn't know about failing fusions.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

What's the percentage on problems w/ the rods now on the new procedure? or is it too early to tell? & when did they stop using harrington rods/or do they still use them?
Lynne

[LindaRacine]

What's the percentage on problems w/ the rods now on the new procedure? or is it too early to tell? & when did they stop using harrington rods/or do they still use them?
Lynne

Lynne...

I'm sure there are still some surgeons who still use Harrington rods here in the U.S., and they're still widely used in some countries. They are still occasionally used by even the best surgeons, for certain problems. For the most part, however, Harrington rods were discontinued in the late 80's.

The percentage of complications from surgery varies greatly, depending on the surgeon and the type of surgery. You can find links to a bunch of study abstracts here:

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/SurgeryResearch.htm

Regards,
Linda

[katblack]

Lynne...

I'm sure there are still some surgeons who still use Harrington rods here in the U.S., and they're still widely used in some countries. They are still occasionally used by even the best surgeons, for certain problems. For the most part, however, Harrington rods were discontinued in the late 80's.

The percentage of complications from surgery varies greatly, depending on the surgeon and the type of surgery. You can find links to a bunch of study abstracts here:

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/SurgeryResearch.htm

Regards,
Linda

So what kind of rods or instruments do they use now?

[LindaRacine]

Hi Kat...

There are at least a dozen different manufacturers of what are known as posterior universal systems that use rods, hooks, and screws. Then, there are quite a few additional anterior rod and screw systems. I haven't kept up on who uses what.

--Linda

[sweetness514]

What's the percentage on problems w/ the rods now on the new procedure? or is it too early to tell? & when did they stop using harrington rods/or do they still use them?
Lynne

I don't know, but according to the websites I have visted on the subject of breakage and my doctor's opinion, it can vary to up to 40% in adults, but nobody can know for sure since some live with broken fusions without having their hardware break for a while and/or with even broken rods without feeling pain or supecting it's the hardware. I had my scoliosis surgery in '97, with Titanium rods, and have seen a lot of younger girls in their teens with the same type of rods break, IRL and posting on forums. I think it's ridiculous, and once a person has gone through the ever so painful surgery for scoliosis, nobody wants to go through it again, like I just have, even if it is easier. What was and is painful still is the replacement for the screws that are bigger in order to fill the gap from the old screws. Also, a lot have their hardware removed with no replacement(wich is not as painful) but the new fusion won't take if they don't put in a new rod, wich they did for me also. I didn't expect the not bending OR leaning for three months either, and taking it more than easy per my ortho's orders, since I don't like having to rely on others again, however small the assistance may be, my family doesn't need this again. Oh well..life.

As far as doctors, my original ortho who performed surgery on me in '97 is a professor who has his own orthopedic medical facility now in Switzerland, has traveled AND taught all over the world,(incuding my city of Montreal), and according to my new ortho who just operated on me he did EVERYTHING he could to avoid this problem and a fantastic job, that's why I think it's not the surgeon's fault. I live in a city that is very advanced as far as orthopedics, I learned that even in the mid '80s they stopped using Harrington rods here, and used the C-D rods. And we have free healthcare, so I'm impressed, only annoying problem is the wait is long This last surgery was very hard too since they had taken two pints of my blood prior to surgery and didn't use any, and I was dizzy and very weak for weeks; as well as they performed a spinal morph injection(similar to epidural, but for the whole spine), and so it helped with the pain a lot but I thought I was paralyzed for days after, and was a bit scared of all the numbness.

But so far I'm getting better, the first month and a half was the hardest, and the wake up room.