Canadian Patients

[Guest guest]

Suzy, you make an excellent point about the need for an accurate name

for our condition(s). At the risk of being a bit impertinent, I

wonder if we could borrow an album title from Alanis ette and

call ourselves " Under Rug Swept " .

I really like your " Surgically Treated Scoliosis " because that's the

factor that holds most of us flatbackers together.

Actually, the term " flatback " is just an attempt by surgeons to

give " fixed sagittal imbalance " a name that can be remembered by us

medical ignorami. As a non-surgical spine specialist said to me in

rather a dismissive tone, " That's just a name the surgeons made up so

they can do more surgery on you. " I'd never thought about it, but it

is rather dorky sounding. Also, those of us whose " flatback "

involves some kyphosis really don't have flat backs.

Fact is, we all have different cases, and doctors DO have accurate

medical descriptions for them. Mine was described by Dr. LaGrone

as " sagittal imbalance secondary to reduced lumbar lordosis and

thoracolumbar kyphosis " . He could have further elaborated by calling

it " fixed sagittal imbalance secondary to surgically reduced lumbar

lordosis and congenital thoracolumbar kyphosis " , or some such thing.

The question of whether to define " flatback " narrowly, as including

only those cases which are surgically induced, or more broadly as any

form of sagittal imbalance is really one of semantics.

The question seems to be less one of giving accurate names to our

deformities than it is one of defining who we want to pal around with

in cyberspace. Personally, I have no great attachment to " flatback "

and would be just as happy if I'd never heard the word (and didn't

have the deformity!) How many comrades would I find in this world if

I chose only to interact with those whose Harrington rod fusions for

congenital scoliosis had developed into fixed sagittal imbalance

secondary to surgically reduced lumbar lordosis and congenital

thoracolumbar kyphosis? One? Two if I'm lucky? I have empathy

enough to share support with anyone whose back problems make them

feel a kinship with me, in whatever e-milieu I find myself.

Sharon Green

Under Rug Swept

> Should we be categorized as spinal revision patients with other

> surgically caused flatback patients, and would the subspecialties

> treating the different causes of flatback be better off pooling

their

> knowledge rather than deeming this scoliosis revision?

> Would a definite, medical description of our scoliosis revision

> conditions be beneficial in describing our group, thus creating a

> guideline for all surgeons in surgical correction?

> My opinion is that giving us a specific medically termed name (not

> Flatback as it is too confusing to others) would be the first step

in

> acknowledgment of the problems and would warrant research and

treatment

> of the in common issues.

[Guest guest]

Hi,I am from Canada,just wondering if any other Canadians have had the Sleeve

done ? Ifso could I contact you?Thanks