Originally posted by mariaf
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Dr. Hey deals with the fallout of parents lying about braces to kids
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Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
Answer: Medicine
"We are all African."
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Originally posted by mariaf View PostYou make a good case. I do recall Dr. D'Andrea once telling me that since David has a single T curve, that if he ever did need fusion it would be pretty straight-forward. She was really talking about losing very little flexibility (vs. a longer fusion), but it makes sense that T fusions would cause fewer issues long term.
In that regard, it is a small mercy that most curves are (non-high) T curves.Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
Answer: Medicine
"We are all African."
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Originally posted by hduggerThe honest assessment is to say that previous patients have had a significant amount of problems,Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
Answer: Medicine
"We are all African."
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Originally posted by hduggerBut I'd be loathe to promise any child going into fusion surgery that they'd end up with "zero" spinal problems. There is nothing in the evidence to support that number, and making up that rosy picture robs the child of the chance to make an informed decision about their own health and body.
But I think that making a distinction between different types of fusions is something entirely different from promising a future free of any problems, as I'm sure you would agree.mariaf305@yahoo.com
Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/
http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/
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Originally posted by Pooka1 View PostAh that is an important distinction that I didn't think about before you wrote it. I think Hanson in Texas will use Spinecor IIRC but perhaps only in response to a parent insisting. Who knows. It could be that even the handful who will prescribe it will never volunteer it.
In other cases, the parents were told by the surgeon that they didn't use Spinecor because they've seen no evidence of its effectiveness but that the final decision, of course, was the parent's.mariaf305@yahoo.com
Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/
http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/
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Originally posted by mariaf View PostI would think (and hope) that nobody is promised anything of the sort. What is the saying in medicine 'there are no guarantees'. I find most in the medical profession to be the other extreme (maybe for liability/malpractice purposes). But, for example, before David's VBS, Dr. D'Andrea went over every possible complication that could arising during or after surgery (to the point I was scared to death!), thankfully none of which happened.
The only guarantees are death, taxes and DDD if you live long enough as far as I can tell.Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
Answer: Medicine
"We are all African."
Comment
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Originally posted by hduggerThe *only* reason to fuse a spine in a child is to avoid pain/disability/surgery in the future (since kids are largely painfree).
But I guess another way to put it would be that the only reason to fuse the spine would be to stop a rapidly progressing curve....which to me is actually similar to what you are saying because I think we'd all agree that a curve of, say, 65 or 75 degrees (or whatever the 'end' number might be - maybe higher in some cases) would be very likely to cause pain, and even perhaps some degree of disability.Last edited by mariaf; 08-27-2012, 10:52 PM.mariaf305@yahoo.com
Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/
http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/
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And... we finally get back to the real issue.
Over the years, I've seen this debate dozens of times. Think of the arthritis we'll all have from typing too much! ;-)
NO ONE knows the truth yet. Doctors and parents are mostly doing what they think is best. All we can do is try to be as informed as possible, and try not to weight one choice over another by exaggerating or lying about it.
We DON'T know if:- Bracing stops progression
- Bracing keeps anyone from requiring surgery, now or later in life
- Surgery at a young age keeps kids from requiring surgery later in life
- Current surgery techniques lead to less revision
We DO know that:- Surgery on very large thoracic curves stops much of the potential damage to lungs and heart
- Bracing allows some parents to feel that they're not just sitting around waiting for fate to take its course
- No matter what we do or do not do, there will always be a possibility of requiring additional treatment
These debates always come from someone championing one treatment over another. Since we don't know what works and what doesn't work, I don't see why we can't all just say "this is what I tried, and so far, I'm happy with the outcome". There are no absolutes when it comes to the treatment of scoliosis.
--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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