Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Pre-Op apt. & they might reschedule!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Pre-Op apt. & they might reschedule!

    Hi all, surgery is in 13 days and I had my pre-op appointment this morning. Here is the low down...

    ALIF L5-S1
    LLIF T12-L5
    PLIF T10-S1 with SI joint fixation both sides

    The PA I was talking with said that they might need to use a chest tube during the lateral approach depending on if they need to enter the pleural space, a decision they won’t know if they need to make until they are in surgery. They said that if they need to do that they would need me to be in ICU for a day or so afterwards. The problem is that currently the ICU is packed full 50/50 with COVID and other patients. Therefor, if they think there is a strong chance they will need to use a chest tube, more than likely my surgery date will be pushed back and delayed.

    I have mentally come to grips with another fusion. I have prepared every aspect of my life (work and personal) and I just want to get this over with, recover, and move on with my life. For my mental state and my anxiety I am crossing my fingers that surgery doesn’t get delayed. Is that weird? Don’t get me wrong the fear is still VERY previlant and VERY real but at the same time I have been waiting for so long that I just want to get it over with.

    I should hear back from the surgeons office at the latest by tomorrow at the end of the day

    Has anyone else had a lateral approach and needed a chest tube? Not needed a chest tube? Does a patients frame and build sort of help predict if that will be needed during the procedure? I am 29 years old 5’8” and 170 pounds
    Feb 2003 - Diagnosed C (35) T (45) L (25)
    Dec 2003 - T2-T12 Fusion correcting to C (8), T (14), L (20)
    Oct 2019 - Lumbar curve progressed to 40
    Nov 2019 - Thoracic curve progressed to 31
    June/July 2020 - T10-S1 Fusion with SI fixation correcting to C (8), T (14), L (8)

  • #2
    Looking at Pleural Effusion (Fluid) rates on one study, they are actually extremely low "without" using drains......but they can happen. 28 out of 3225 patients

    I see they scrapped the large ALIF. I would imagine your recovery will be shortened quite a bit doing the LLIF or XLIF's

    Let us know what they say

    Ed
    49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
    Pre surgery curves T70,L70
    ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
    Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

    Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

    My x-rays
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
      Looking at Pleural Effusion (Fluid) rates on one study, they are actually extremely low "without" using drains......but they can happen. 28 out of 3225 patients

      I see they scrapped the large ALIF. I would imagine your recovery will be shortened quite a bit doing the LLIF or XLIF's

      Let us know what they say

      Ed
      Ed...

      A drain is different than a chest tube.

      --Linda
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
        Ed...

        A drain is different than a chest tube.

        --Linda
        That's correct. I had drains.....(Installed while under general anesthesia) Hemovac drains. Not under a local, like a chest tube.

        These were approx 6mm dia hoses. or roughly around 1/4" dia.

        Once again, these were pretty easy to deal with, or not painful is what I should say. They also come out easy.

        Ed
        49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
        Pre surgery curves T70,L70
        ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
        Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

        Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

        My x-rays
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

        Comment


        • #5
          Just got the news that surgery is a go. Both surgeons and the PA are confident they can access all disc spaces without needing to enter the pleural cavity. He did say there was a very small chance they might need to but in that case they would make sure that I would get the nursing care I would need even if there wouldn’t be space in the ICU. As the PA said, “Don’t worry, we wouldn’t put a chest tube in and then leave you in the hallway.”

          I’m relieved it’s not postponed but at the same time it’s another level of reality sinking in that it’s happening. 11 days and counting...
          Feb 2003 - Diagnosed C (35) T (45) L (25)
          Dec 2003 - T2-T12 Fusion correcting to C (8), T (14), L (20)
          Oct 2019 - Lumbar curve progressed to 40
          Nov 2019 - Thoracic curve progressed to 31
          June/July 2020 - T10-S1 Fusion with SI fixation correcting to C (8), T (14), L (8)

          Comment

          Working...
          X