continuation of previous message

[Guest guest]

,

If titanium breaks more easily than stainless steel, why has it replaced it?

Carole M.

[Guest guest]

Dear m_giamboy,

You really went through a lot. I just read a post

from someone having their sixth surgery in the

group. You might want to look

at the posts in that group also, since there are folks

who had broken rods too. I have only had 2 surgeries -

one at 14 in the 1960s and one in November. I still

have my original Harrington rod from T6 - L3. Now I

have additional rods at L5 - S1. My story differs from

yours but I certainly feel for you. I am glad you

found this great support group. They have been a lot

of help to me. Good luck to you. - Kathi in NJ

--- m_giamboy <m_giamboy@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hi again. Sorry - I don't know why my entire

> message didn't print.

>

> To continue - I did well for 5 years, then the pain

> began again. It

> was discovered that the fusion did not take. It was

> causing me

> terrible problems with walking and standing erect.

> My doctor said

> revision would have to be done.

>

> Before I underwent the revision, I did seek a second

> opinion, which

> was comparable to what my primary surgeon said. My

> two CD rods were

> removed from my thoracic spine and were replaced

> with six smaller CD

> rods from T-2 to L-5. This was done posteriorlly

> only. However, the

> previous lumbar fusion had to be broken before any

> rods could be

> placed - which was a bit of a problem.

>

> My recovery was not as quick as the first rod

> placement surgery. I

> had pain and again could not walk straight. After

> about three months

> I began having similar problems. My fusion broke.

> Again I sought not

> only a second but a third medical opinion at s

> Hopkins. It was

> agreed another revision be done (my third rod

> placement surgery).

> The six rods were removed and were replaced with

> three rods in

> another posterior/anterior procedure.

>

> This happenned in 1995. At this point in my life I

> had became

> disabled and had to apply for social security -

> which I did receive

> after two years of fighting for it with the help of

> an attorney.

>

> After this surgery I progressed as well as could be

> expected. Of

> course my life was not at all what it had been and I

> tried to accept

> it with patience and many prayers.

>

> My story doesn't end there. Three years after the

> second

> revision I began having excrutiating pain - which

> seemed to come from

> nowhere and for no reason. It was so bad that I had

> to have help

> getting in and out of a chair and help getting in

> and out of bed.

> After about two months of this pain I saw my doctor.

> X-ray showed

> that my rods were broken in two places - they look

> as if someone went

> inside my spine and cut them in half. This did not

> happen due to any

> type of trauma - there was no fall or accident, it

> just happened.

> It's funny, but I thought that titanium rods could

> not break. Has

> anyone had this happen to them or heard of anyone

> who has had this

> occur? I would really like to talk to someone about

> it.

>

> Sorry I've been so long winded. There is much more

> to tell but I

> think this is enough for now. I would really like

> to chat with

> anyone who may be experiencing some of these

> problems. I try

> to " keep a stiff upper lip " , but it is difficult,

> especially when

> there is no one else to understand the problems.

>

> I'll be looking forward to any response --- Thankx

> for listening.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi m_giamboy...

Actually titanium is more brittle than stainless steel, and therefore

breaks more easily. Breaks in rods are caused by an area that doesn't

fuse.

Regards,

[Guest guest]

Thanks, !

I'm pretty sure that the bottom hook of my Luque rod (which I have) is

titanium. I have no idea what the Harrington rod is. I just thought I may

have

been blessed, but I was wrong. I went for a bone density test recently, and

they refused to try to image my torso!

Again, thanks!

Carole M.

[Guest guest]

Hi m_giamboy,

My heart goes out to you for the suffering you have endured. I don't know if you

would even consider going under the knife again at this point, but my daughter

recently had surgery with a man who has the reputation of being a miracle worker

when it comes to revisions. I spoke with dozens of his patients prior to

selecting him for my daughter, and many of those people went to him after 4 or 5

other surgeries, and every single one said the same thing... that he has the

hands of an angel... AND he was able to give them back their lives.

He is the chief of spinal surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery, the

second highest ranked otho hospital in the country. His name is Dr.

Boachie-Adjei, and here's a link to his information:

http://www.hss.edu/Physicians/Profiles/Boachie-Adjei-Oheneba

I wish you the very best!

na

continuation of previous message

Hi again. Sorry - I don't know why my entire message didn't print.

To continue - I did well for 5 years, then the pain began again. It

was discovered that the fusion did not take. It was causing me

terrible problems with walking and standing erect. My doctor said

revision would have to be done.

Before I underwent the revision, I did seek a second opinion, which

was comparable to what my primary surgeon said. My two CD rods were

removed from my thoracic spine and were replaced with six smaller CD

rods from T-2 to L-5. This was done posteriorlly only. However, the

previous lumbar fusion had to be broken before any rods could be

placed - which was a bit of a problem.

My recovery was not as quick as the first rod placement surgery. I

had pain and again could not walk straight. After about three months

I began having similar problems. My fusion broke. Again I sought not

only a second but a third medical opinion at s Hopkins. It was

agreed another revision be done (my third rod placement surgery).

The six rods were removed and were replaced with three rods in

another posterior/anterior procedure.

This happenned in 1995. At this point in my life I had became

disabled and had to apply for social security - which I did receive

after two years of fighting for it with the help of an attorney.

After this surgery I progressed as well as could be expected. Of

course my life was not at all what it had been and I tried to accept

it with patience and many prayers.

My story doesn't end there. Three years after the second

revision I began having excrutiating pain - which seemed to come from

nowhere and for no reason. It was so bad that I had to have help

getting in and out of a chair and help getting in and out of bed.

After about two months of this pain I saw my doctor. X-ray showed

that my rods were broken in two places - they look as if someone went

inside my spine and cut them in half. This did not happen due to any

type of trauma - there was no fall or accident, it just happened.

It's funny, but I thought that titanium rods could not break. Has

anyone had this happen to them or heard of anyone who has had this

occur? I would really like to talk to someone about it.

Sorry I've been so long winded. There is much more to tell but I

think this is enough for now. I would really like to chat with

anyone who may be experiencing some of these problems. I try

to " keep a stiff upper lip " , but it is difficult, especially when

there is no one else to understand the problems.

I'll be looking forward to any response --- Thankx for listening.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 04/01/2005 5:58:59 AM Pacific Standard Time,

Scoliosis Treatment writes:

they refused to try to image my torso

Carole M.

Why?

Jolene

[Guest guest]

Yes, the low bone density can mean tooth problems, a broken toe or wrist, as

easily as a fractured hip or micro-fractures in the spine.

Re: Continuation of previous message

>

>

>

>

> In am really going to sound dumb now, but will that tell them if

my

> lumbar spine is affected by low bone density?

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I am fused to about L2 and the scan didn't work on my spine, it

bounced off the stainless steel rods. It DID work on my hip though.

-- In Scoliosis Treatment , " denisev569 "

<denisev569@y...> wrote:

>

>

> Oh no, I am having a bone density scan in a couple of weeks to

> specifically try to figure out why my spine is colapsing. Does

that

> mean that they wont be able to determine what the problem is, or

can

> they look at the two unfused vertabrae that I have left and make a

> determination from them? I am told that because I am not over 40

my

> insurance probably wont cover the scan and I don't want to waste my

> money if they can't even look at the problem area.

>

>

>

>

> > >

> > > In a message dated 04/01/2005 5:58:59 AM Pacific Standard Time,

> > > Scoliosis Treatment writes:

> > > they refused to try to image my torso

> > > Carole M.

> > >

> > > Why?

> > > Jolene

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Wow, I didn't know that it affected so many different things.

> >

> > If you have low bone density, that makes your spine more

fragile,

> and makes it more susceptible to micro-fractures, failed fusion,

and

> the like.

> > Re: Continuation of previous

message

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > In am really going to sound dumb now, but will that tell

them if

> my

> > lumbar spine is affected by low bone density?

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Luckily they took out all of my revision hardware in November, so

there is nothing in there to bounce off of, but the fusions are so

thick in my lumbar area that it sounds like they wouldn't be able to

get through that. My hips haven't been messed with to much so maybe

they will be able to use them.

> > > >

> > > > In a message dated 04/01/2005 5:58:59 AM Pacific Standard

Time,

> > > > Scoliosis Treatment writes:

> > > > they refused to try to image my torso

> > > > Carole M.

> > > >

> > > > Why?

> > > > Jolene

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >