Question

September 17, 2003

I think the 2nd look surgery is pretty much the norm. I found out

about it from this site after my daughter's 1st surgery to repair a

tear in her eardrum (ctoma was found unexpectedly during that

surgery so I wanted to learn more about ctomas). Her surgeon didn't

mention a 2nd look surgery until I started asking questions about

it. I do think that once the surgeon realized that I was informing

myself with information he was a lot more forthcoming with

information.

Candy

> I'm reading a lot of post of people mentioning a " second look "

> procedure. Does everyone have this or does it depend on where the

c-

> toma was before they removed it, how extensive it was, etc.? I go

> back back for my 2nd follow up on Monday so hopefully if they feel

> this is necessary they will tell me then but I'm curious now that

> I've been reading it so much, especially these past few days.

>

> Thanks.

>

September 18, 2003

A second look can be as simple as a CT-Scan. Our ENT schedules our daughter for CT's every 6-8 months. Once we get to 2 consecutive scans without a c-toma, we'll have longer intervals between scans.-----Original Message-----From: luvnmomangela Sent: Sep 16, 2003 8:11 PMcholesteatoma Subject: QuestionI'm reading a lot of post of people mentioning a "second look" procedure. Does everyone have this or does it depend on where the c-toma was before they removed it, how extensive it was, etc.? I go back back for my 2nd follow up on Monday so hopefully if they feel this is necessary they will tell me then but I'm curious now that I've been reading it so much, especially these past few days.Thanks.

September 24, 2003

Tim,

I hope all goes well with your surgery this friday. I have had a lap and an open procedure. The lap made my A worse...but i had a surgeon that didn't know exactly what he was doing. Thats the reason I had to have the open procedure done. I had that done an the Cleveland Clinic. I go this next Teusday for my one yr check up. I still have a little trouble with breads and tough meats...but thankfully my procedure has worked so far. It was a long recovery though...months of nothing but mushy stuff. My open procedure consisted of removing part of my E and part of my stomach....it was no picnic. But now that i'm healed and doing well....I would go through it all again...just for the last year that I've had with hardly any symptoms. I wish the procedures worked for everyone..but they don't. We are all different and heal in different ways. Good luck and take it slow.

In Indiana

September 24, 2003

In a message dated 9/23/2003 4:53:41 PM Central America Standard Tim, nurikochan02@... writes:

what are some of things that you guyz ate after your myotomoys were

through and recovery was finished?

, you wrote the above. I interpreted this to mean

after you were completely healed from the Myotomy. Others

seem to interpret it to mean immediately after surgery.

Would you please clarify.

Maggie

Alabama

September 24, 2003

, from what I've seen some people can eat everything, some people can't eat everything but can eat almost everything, and some people are still on soups and such. (I've not yet had surgery, so I'm only recounting what I've read on this site over the past year.)

Keep in mind that the surgery is just to open the LES muscle -- if you have abnormal peristalsis before the surgery, you're still going to have abnormal peristalsis after the surgery. Most people find that because of this lack of peristalsis, they still need to chew their food very very well, and then still use lots of water to "wash it down" when they eat.

Hope this helps!Debbi in Michigan

what are some of things that you guyz ate after your myotomoys were through and recovery was finished?

September 24, 2003

My sincere apologies, . I re-read 's question and I don't know how I missed ... and recovery was finished. I'm terribly sorry.

Thank You, Maggie, for pointing this out.

All the best,

-- Re: QUESTION

In a message dated 9/23/2003 4:53:41 PM Central America Standard Tim, nurikochan02@... writes:

what are some of things that you guyz ate after your myotomoys were through and recovery was finished?, you wrote the above. I interpreted this to meanafter you were completely healed from the Myotomy. Othersseem to interpret it to mean immediately after surgery.Would you please clarify.MaggieAlabama

October 10, 2003

Diane, as I understand it, revision surgery often involves osteotomies, so yes,

this would be considered revision surgery. Revision is pretty much a general

term, and there are a variety of approaches, depending on the individual case

and the surgeon's preference.

I'm sorry to hear your first 7 back operations weren't sufficient and now you're

facing an eighth. I find even the prospect of a second one daunting.

I wish you the best for whatever you decide.

Sharon in Southern New Hampshire

Congenital scoliosis w/ spina bifida and other vertebral anomalies

1971 Harrington rod fusion, T5-L4, flatback, L5-S1 degeneration, etc.

QUESTION

I am fairly new to the group and have a question I need answered. I

have seen 2 drs who are Revision Specalists and was told by both that I

had FlatBack Syndrome with a Plumb Line of 10cm & that I needed an

Osteotomy from L1 to S1. Is an Osteotomy the same thing as Revision

Surgery???? I cannot find the answer to this question with all the

research I have done.

Does anyone know?

Yoli, I have been praying for your daughter & was very glad to read that

she was doing well, I envy her that she had the courage to go through

it. I am 56 now & after 9 major surgeries, 7 for my back, I am really

hesitant about having the surgery they tell me I need.

Beth, hope you are doing ok & thanks again for the information.

Love To All,

Diane B.

October 11, 2003

Osteotomies are the areas where bone is removed from the old fusion mass

(usually in wedges) in order to regain motion at certain levels. Once there is

motion, the surgeon can re-align the spine; in simpliest terms (which was how it

was explained to me and made the most sense!), by creating areas of motion where

there was only fusion mass before they can pull the spinal column backwards to

created a more balanced sagital plane; then by bending rods to create either

lordosis (in the case of a thoracolumbar or lumbar fusion) or kyphosis (where

there was a thoracic fusion) they can eliminate the appearance of a flattened

spine. Once everything looks good on an x-rays taken during surgery, they use

pedicle screws at the levels to be re-fused and usually use cadaver bone to

create a new fusion. The main reason cadaver bone is used is because in the case

of Flatback due to previous scoliosis fusion, either one or both posterior

illiac crests have already been used as donor bone sites.

Best to all,

Beth

October 11, 2003

Of course sometimes they also go in through the front or side (in order to fuse

the anterior portion of the spine), and then they remove a rib and use that for

the needed bone grafts. Sounds like great fun, eh?!

Re: QUESTION