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I am interested to hear how your appt in Amarillo went.
Background - Diagnosed in 1981 with a s-curve. Very progressive. Wore a Milwalkee brace from 1981-1986. I had back surgery in 1989....spinal fusion with Harrington rods and bone from my hip.
Wow, I am amazed at the amount of quality information I've gathered from everyone here. I am 43 and was operated in 1976 on spondylolisthesis. Dr. Jesse Dickson was my doctor for close to 30 years, since I was a teenager, until he retired. In my original operation, in 1976, my back was fused and rods were taken out in 77. Now, what seems like an eternity later I find myself, like all of you, without a new doctor. Also, like you, went to Dr. Hanson who stayed in Dickson's practice but did not get much results from him.
Now have pain in my left hip and need to go to a doctor. I will wait as long as I can to see how the doctor in Amirillo is....wow, what great news.
Thanks to all!
Mari
1975 Clear hard plastic body cast worn
1976 Operated for high grade Spondylolisthesis; lumbar fused from L2-Sacrum and Harrington rods inserted
1976 Wore regular type body cast and in bed rest for 1 year
1977 Rods removed
2006 Diagnosed with Flat back syndrome with sagittal imbalance
2008 Scheduled for wide pedicle subtraction osteotomy, sooner if pain increases
I had to cancel my appt. with LaGrone because something came up at work at the last minute. I was pretty peaved. But I am rescheduled for mid-December. I am disappointed that I have to wait, but I guess I have waited this long. I will definately keep you updated. I posted on one of these threads that the doctor in Plano suggested an epidural nerve block for the disks that were herniated and causing stenosis, but it did not work at all, not even a bit. How are you coming along?
I went to see Dr. LaGrone in late November and I am so happy that I found him. His level of expertise, to my knowledge, is outstanding and his attention to his patients is superb. Even his office staff, every one of them, is very supportive and helpful. I am so glad that I finally went to see him after losing my doctor of close to 30 years, Dr. Jesse Dickson, when he retired in 2000.
Let me know if you want to know anything else about Dr. LaGrone based on my experience.
Marilyn
1975 Clear hard plastic body cast worn
1976 Operated for high grade Spondylolisthesis; lumbar fused from L2-Sacrum and Harrington rods inserted
1976 Wore regular type body cast and in bed rest for 1 year
1977 Rods removed
2006 Diagnosed with Flat back syndrome with sagittal imbalance
2008 Scheduled for wide pedicle subtraction osteotomy, sooner if pain increases
I saw Dr. LaGrone in Dec 12, 2006. I am scheduled for surgery with him on June 4, 2007. I really liked him, he was very knowlgeable. He saw things on my x-rays that my original Dr. didn't see. I will be having a posterior only surgery. He will start the incision at about T10 and go all the way down. He will be replacing the instrumentation and doing a PSO at L2. He will also be extending my fusion further down on my sacrum and possiblly be putting in the pelvic screws. He expects about a 4 to 5 day hospital stay and then a few extra days before I go home.
Theresa
April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
Fused T2 to sacrum June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours
Hi: I had my original Harrington Rod surgery in Baltimore, MD in 1972. I just moved to Texas and don't know any doctors who are knowledgeable on this subject. Anybody from Texas (I'm in East Texas) that can offer suggestions? I'm new to this site and I'd like to talk with older patients. I'd like to know more about the rod breaking down (this is new info to me,) when the revision surgery is called for and who are the top notch surgeons. I have LOTS of pain that I deal with and my life is getting more and more restricted. Anything ya'all want to share, I'd appreciate. I'm alone out here....THANKS
Wolf
I would be more than happy to communicate with you. They found my scoliosis when I was 14. It was severe then, but I waited - actually refused surgery when I was a teenager. I slipped and fell in a shower in 2000 and ended up having surgery 2 years later. They fused 16 disks in my first surgery. I have had additional surgeries and am finally to the end of my surgical career. At 51, I am now fused from T1-S1. I have great respect for my surgeon and know that he is highly qualified and specializes in revision surgery. He would be a great resource for you. He is in Plano, TX.
I popped into the forum tonight because I want to post a message about communicating with people who have similar conditions. So I should be around if you want to talk.
Best of luck. I know it's hard to smile through the pain sometimes, but we do it anyway.
Christy
Christy
Plano, TX
Surgical dates
3/25/02 - fused T1-L3, T - 88 degrees
L - 74 degrees
7/8/04 - repaired 6 areas of non-union & fused L3-L4
12/15/05 - fused L4-L5, L5-S1
2/27/06 - corrected hardware failure
3/5/06 - corrected hardware issue
6/16/06 - replaced broken screw in pelvis
3/9/07 - rear ended auto collision
2/12/09 - totaled car - someone pulled out in front of me - Yikes!
3/30/09 - Revision surgery, removed & replaced t12through S1
I went to see Dr. LaGrone in late November and I am so happy that I found him. His level of expertise, to my knowledge, is outstanding and his attention to his patients is superb. Even his office staff, every one of them, is very supportive and helpful. I am so glad that I finally went to see him after losing my doctor of close to 30 years, Dr. Jesse Dickson, when he retired in 2000.
Let me know if you want to know anything else about Dr. LaGrone based on my experience.
Marilyn[/QU
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for responding to my post...
I met with Dr. Akbarnia in La Jolla, CA yesterday and will be sending my films to Dr. LaGrone this week..
How did you hear about Dr. LaGrone? Have you met (online) anyone who has had surgery with him?
Are you waiting to have surgery in 2008 because Dr. LaGrone is too busy to fit you in sooner?
I'm really wanting to get as much info as possible - so thanks in advance for anything you can share...
I saw Dr. LaGrone in Dec 12, 2006. I am scheduled for surgery with him on June 4, 2007. I really liked him, he was very knowlgeable. He saw things on my x-rays that my original Dr. didn't see. I will be having a posterior only surgery. He will start the incision at about T10 and go all the way down. He will be replacing the instrumentation and doing a PSO at L2. He will also be extending my fusion further down on my sacrum and possiblly be putting in the pelvic screws. He expects about a 4 to 5 day hospital stay and then a few extra days before I go home.
Have you met anyone who has gone through this surgery with Dr. LaGrone?
Are you fused to L2 currently? (if so, so am I)...
Feel free to email me: askforKen@aol.com
You asked me how I heard about Dr. LaGrone...Linda Racine on this website highly recommended him to me, then I saw a write-up where he was signaled out as one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Texas, and then I ran into Theresa, also on this website and on this thread. I have not spoken to anyone who's had surgery with him, yet. Theresa will do so soon and I very sure that she is in extremely capable and experienced hands, as I will be in 2008.
Also in answer to your question, I am waiting to have surgery in mid 2008 because I need to save money (my insurance is just not terrific like others). As much as I can stand the pain, I will wait and if the pain gets worse then I'll just have to spend the money and do it. Dr. LaGrone was available to do the surgery much sooner.
I hope that I answered your questions and if not, just ask away.
Marilyn
1975 Clear hard plastic body cast worn
1976 Operated for high grade Spondylolisthesis; lumbar fused from L2-Sacrum and Harrington rods inserted
1976 Wore regular type body cast and in bed rest for 1 year
1977 Rods removed
2006 Diagnosed with Flat back syndrome with sagittal imbalance
2008 Scheduled for wide pedicle subtraction osteotomy, sooner if pain increases
I am fused T2 to the sacrum already. Dr. LaGrone is going to fuse further on down on the sacrum. I originally got Dr. LaGrone's name from the Yahoo Group "Feisty Flatbackers". There was a lot of people on that site that had surgery with Dr. LaGrone and had great things to say about him.
Theresa
April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
Fused T2 to sacrum June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours
Once Dr LaGrone looks over my films and reports (next week), his office will let me know if I should keep my "penciled in" appt for Feb 13th...
If you have already been to Amarillo, can you please email me any tips on where to stay, etc...
Also, about Dr. La Grone: did you feel he answered all of your questions? Was he "Clear" and easy to understand? Did they tell you about how many of these revisions he does yearly on people with Harrington Rods?
Is my condition something that would benefit a consultation with LaGrone?
My father found this forum and thread online. That is why I'm here now. Having read my story, would you think it a good idea for me to get Dr. LaGrone's opinion versus my specialist's? My father's willing to help me get to Amarillo and back, etc.
I'm no expert but if I were contimplating another surgery I would absolutley consider going to a well known Dr if it were possible for me to do so... I do not know, but, I can't see where it could hurt your situation?
I am doing the same thing, I saw the best local doctor I can find and am now in the process of seeing a top specialist, which in my case is out of State...
Luckily Dr LaGrone will review my info prior to making the trip...
If you have already been to Amarillo, can you please email me any tips on where to stay, etc...
Also, about Dr. La Grone: did you feel he answered all of your questions? Was he "Clear" and easy to understand? Did they tell you about how many of these revisions he does yearly on people with Harrington Rods?
Thanks again, Ken.
Definitely, Dr. LaGrone answered all of my questions completely, even after asking the same ones over because I didn't understand or becasue I was in shock from hearing all the bad news. His assistant spent much time with me, then full-length x-rays were taken from the front and then the side, and then Dr. LaGrone spent the rest of his time that day with me. He is so considerate that if you are coming in from out of town he schedules you around 3:30 p.m., the last patient of the day to be able to spend time with you. I did ask both his assistant and him if he'd done many revisions and flatback operations and the answer were both many, many, many.
His office faxed me a list of nearby hotels to stay in, as well as taxi's, etc. It is really quite simple to go there. Below is somethng that I wrote a while back on this site...
The drive from the airport to the doctor's office took about 25 or so minutes and the directions are below...
I-40 West to Bell Street and turn right once on Bell Street
Stay on Bell Street until you pass 2 lights
After 2nd light exit to the right where a sing says "9th Avenue East", left
Stay on 9th Avenue East and on the 2nd street, Sunny, turn left
The doctor's office is in building #13.
Next time I plan to go there alone, as it was so easy to find and do.
Hope this helps.
Marilyn
1975 Clear hard plastic body cast worn
1976 Operated for high grade Spondylolisthesis; lumbar fused from L2-Sacrum and Harrington rods inserted
1976 Wore regular type body cast and in bed rest for 1 year
1977 Rods removed
2006 Diagnosed with Flat back syndrome with sagittal imbalance
2008 Scheduled for wide pedicle subtraction osteotomy, sooner if pain increases
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