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  • Degree of correction

    After seeing the results of my bending xrays, I was wondering what degree of correction I might end up with.
    What degree of correction did you start with?
    What did your bending xrays indicate your level of correction would be?
    And finally what is your actual degree of curvature after surgery?
    My surgery is one week from tomorrow, and I am getting more and more nervous by the minute!

  • #2
    Hi Jenny,
    I have a 72 degree thoracic curve and I believe a 44 degree lumbar. I know that when I bent to the side the lumbar was about 11 degrees but I don't remember what the thoracic was. Good luck on your surgery next week. Can't wait to keep up with all of you on the "other side".
    Janet
    36 year young cardiac RN
    old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
    new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
    Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
    Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
    and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

    Comment


    • #3
      Thank you Janet. Are you as nervous as I am? What are your plans for going back to work afterwards?

      Comment


      • #4
        Jenny,
        I am nervous, excited and saddened all at the same time, like a emotional roller coaster! I hope to return to my job in 12 weeks. That is my only plan right now. I will have to work on my endurence at home and just pray I will be able to return. Otherwise, I may have to look into another type of nursing. I hope I don't have to but if I am not healed enough in that time to do my job, that is what I will have to do. I only have 12 weeks of sick time banked and do not think I can afford to live on 60% STD or LTD till I am healed. I believe that they do have to hold a position for 3 mo FMLA and 3 mo GML. Good Luck!
        Janet
        36 year young cardiac RN
        old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
        new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
        Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
        Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
        and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

        Comment


        • #5
          JennyRN

          What did your bending xrays indicate your level of correction would be?
          Hang on. What are these "bending Xrays" and what do they show? What direction does one bend?

          Thinking maybe one can do a rough check at home, re flexibility. I always heard flexibility determined how much correction could be gotten and on that account, had one bright spot about the whole deal (still being hyper-flexible thanks to my Ehler Danlo's)

          I know a lot of people complain about rigidity (and I think my kyphosis IS rigid), but I can still bend every which way even if I haven't stretched. I HOPE this is a good sign abt my eventual correction IIEHTS (= If I eventually have the surgery )
          Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
          Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
          main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
          Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

          Comment


          • #6
            bending Xrays on a table, without the help of gravity, can be quite the revelation! without gravity, i found out i am not as flexible as i thought! the tech said that's why surgeons like to do the bendng ones on a table...to get to the real deal..

            jess

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by JennyRN View Post
              After seeing the results of my bending xrays, I was wondering what degree of correction I might end up with.
              What degree of correction did you start with?
              What did your bending xrays indicate your level of correction would be?
              And finally what is your actual degree of curvature after surgery?
              My surgery is one week from tomorrow, and I am getting more and more nervous by the minute!
              My curve was ±53° at my last pre-op x-ray, with +2 rotation.

              While Hanson didn't do bending films (I don't think he usually does on adults), he visually inspected lateral bending and estimated 50% or better correction. Mostly what I heard was his estimate of 70% for significant pain relief.

              He was able to achieve > 50% correction, and my curve now measures about 19°. I do still have some rotation, which is mostly just visible on my sagittal x-ray because my rods have slightly different profiles. It's enough of a difference it makes me rock in a circular fashion when I do spinal rolls in yoga.

              Hang tight through the pre-op jitters ... it does get better!

              Regards,
              Pam
              Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
              AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


              41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
              Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
              Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


              VIEW MY X-RAYS
              EMAIL ME

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by jsully View Post
                Jenny-- I believe that they do have to hold a position for 3 mo FMLA and 3 mo GML. Good Luck!
                Janet
                I'm just wondering, what is GML??

                Thanks,
                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

                also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

                Comment


                • #9
                  General Medical Leave after FMLA is exhausted.
                  36 year young cardiac RN
                  old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
                  new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
                  Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
                  Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
                  and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I had a 58* thoracolumbar curve. I did not have bending x-rays, but at my appointment with the Spinal and Neurosurgeon, they had me bend forwards, backwards etc. Dr H said thast he could probably achieve a 20-22* correction, but would see what happens once in surgery. The day after surgery when he came in he seemed pretty happy and told me he felt he had achieved a good correction and would let me know at a future appointment.
                    I think it may have been at my five month appointment that he measured my films and said that the correction was down to 5*. Quite impressive i thought.
                    Vali
                    44 years young! now 45
                    Surgery - June 1st, 2009
                    Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
                    St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
                    Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
                    Post -op - 5 degrees
                    T11 - S1 Posterior
                    L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Vali View Post
                      I had a 58* thoracolumbar curve. he measured my films and said that the correction was down to 5*. Quite impressive i thought.
                      Wow!!
                      Did you regain height! I''d think you'd have shot right up. That's super.
                      Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
                      Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
                      main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
                      Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I don't remember having bending x-rays either. My curve at the time of surgery was thoracic 68 degrees and I was told to expect a 60% correction. I now have a 22 degree curve and it's barely noticeable.
                        Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                        Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                        T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                        Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                        Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I just had bending xrays last week. 68* lumbar curve only went down to 46*. Compensatory thoracic curve flattened to nothing. Doc says bending xrays showed him lower curve was stiff (hence less correction expected).

                          HOWEVER, I don't think I did them right! I was bending at the waist. Later I realized I should have been trying to bend at the hips, where the curve is. Also, I read after the fact that you are supposed to put one arm over your head. Bottom line: Make sure your xray technician gives you specific instructions on how to do this. I think I'm going to have to do it over when I see another doctor. More radiation. Yey.

                          Good luck! One doc actually told me to try laying on a bolster or exercise ball to increase flexibility in the curve.

                          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.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            hi Ev
                            did you do them laying down or standing up?....i found there to be a huge difference, as the tech told me there would be!
                            laying on table (ouch) much more difficult, much less bend!

                            jess

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              That's amazing!!!

                              he measured my films and said that the correction was down to 5*. Quite impressive i thought.[/QUOTE]

                              I'm thinking about surgery and doing research. Did you exercise regularly before surgery? I'm trying to see if exercise reguarly makes different at the degree of the correction
                              62/75 (T4-T9 68 degree & T11 - L4 80 degree) 10/19/2010
                              45/50 year 2000
                              36 yrs old
                              Considering, researching surgery for the first time
                              S. California
                              http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums/...ashionista889/

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