I am scheduled for surgery on November the 18th. I found out Friday that my curvature has progressed to 70 degrees. That is an average of 2 degrees per year. 5 years ago I was at a 60 degree curvature. My doctor said that he would make a small incision under my armpit and remove three of the rigid disks. He would then flip me over and make a foot long incision from right below my neck to right above my waist. He said I should not lose too much flexibility since the thoractic vertabrae are the only ones being fused. He also said that my lower curvature would straighten once the upper is fixed. The scariest thing about the surgery is that they will have to collapse one lung. I will have to wear a drain tube for 3 or 4 days. I've heard it is really hard to breath with the chest tube.
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progressing 2 degrees per year
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Hi Lexy...
It seems that everyone's experience with the chest tube is different. Mine didn't bother me all that much.
--LindaNever argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
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Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation
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chest tube
Mine never bothered me either.
KarenOriginal scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction
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