Re: are casts a thing of the past?

December 30, 2009

wow! I too had a walking body cast- then a body brace and i was on the Stryker bed for 5 weeks! My surgery was in 79. I have heard that these days they have the patient up and walking the next day with no assisted devices. the stryker bed was by far the worse thing post surgery-6 hours on my back-4 hours on my tummy. to this day i can still eat and drink laying flat on my back! LOL!

From: mesanorthwest <mesanorthwest@...>Subject: [ ] are casts a thing of the past? Received: Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 9:20 PM

Hi, all. I've asked a couple of individuals about this, but would like to check with the group as well. As many of you, I had a (walking) body cast for about nine months after my surgery in the early 80's. Prior to the cast, I was in a Stryker frame bed for about two weeks, being flipped regularly. What happens post-revision surgery? Is anyone being put in stabilization devices of any kind, as happened with casts in "the old days"? So far, the folks I've talked to have not had casts or any other torso-restricting device post-revision.Very interested in your experiences-Thanks so much,

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December 30, 2009

,

Bracing does happen for some after revision, some doc's use them some don't. It also varies what they are like. Cam I believe in her photo's, in the photo section, has a picture of hers. I'm an old timer, my last revision was 8 years ago, I had a TLSO brace for 6 months, they even considered adding a leg cuff to mine. Some doc's don;t brace afterwards, Bridwell being one of them. Most go home from the hospital using a walker, I used mine for about 3 weeks and moved to a cane, and then unassisted. Our last Bridwell gals are using their walkers for months.

I had my Harrington Rod placed in 1973, at UCSF, and didn't have a cast, didn't have time on a Stryker frame, I was braced, a very hard plastic brace with snaps, I took the thing off to sleep and shower. I was lucky for the time period, as many of you went through much worse than me.

After revision they get you up fairly quickly, I was up my first day in a regular room( I was in ICU 2 days). Getting up that fast was a bit scary, but they are very good the PT people, and for me it was okay. Back after my Harrington was placed in 1973, they got me up day ten, and only to make a form of my torso for my brace. Back then I was in the hospital nearly a month, now days it's a week or less, more of your surgery is staged , mine wasn't.

A question to ask prospective docs, do they brace or not, and their reasons for or not. My doc loves braces, some don't.

Colorado Springs

[ ] are casts a thing of the past?

Hi, all. I've asked a couple of individuals about this, but would like to check with the group as well. As many of you, I had a (walking) body cast for about nine months after my surgery in the early 80's. Prior to the cast, I was in a Stryker frame bed for about two weeks, being flipped regularly. What happens post-revision surgery? Is anyone being put in stabilization devices of any kind, as happened with casts in "the old days"? So far, the folks I've talked to have not had casts or any other torso-restricting device post-revision.Very interested in your experiences-Thanks so much,

December 30, 2009

allison,My experience in 1981 was like yours. I was casted for 9 months and on the frame for 2 weeks. I had revision in 2007 and wore a brace (TLSO) for 6 months and took it off only to shower. It wasn't too bad and not nearly as bad as the cast in 1981. There are pictures of my recent brace in the picture section under my name. Dr. LaGrone decided to brace me b/c my bones were "soft". This was a decision he made during the surgery. I didn't know I was going to have to wear a brace until my husband told me when I woke up in ICU. In the big scheme of things, it was just another smaller thing. I was just happy the surgery was over and that I could stand up straight. From: mesanorthwest <mesanorthwest@...>Subject: [ ] are casts a thing of the past? Date: Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 11:20 PM

Hi, all.

I've asked a couple of individuals about this, but would like to check with the group as well.

As many of you, I had a (walking) body cast for about nine months after my surgery in the early 80's. Prior to the cast, I was in a Stryker frame bed for about two weeks, being flipped regularly.

What happens post-revision surgery? Is anyone being put in stabilization devices of any kind, as happened with casts in "the old days"? So far, the folks I've talked to have not had casts or any other torso-restricting device post-revision.

Very interested in your experiences-

Thanks so much,

December 30, 2009

i had one and only one sugery. I have two rods the full length of my back had the stryker bed for two weeks, a full body cast for six months and then a brace for six months-I am great no problems at all and never had any

From: mesanorthwest <mesanorthwest>Subject: [ ] are casts a thing of the past? Date: Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 11:20 PM

Hi, all. I've asked a couple of individuals about this, but would like to check with the group as well. As many of you, I had a (walking) body cast for about nine months after my surgery in the early 80's. Prior to the cast, I was in a Stryker frame bed for about two weeks, being flipped regularly. What happens post-revision surgery? Is anyone being put in stabilization devices of any kind, as happened with casts in "the old days"? So far, the folks I've talked to have not had casts or any other torso-restricting device post-revision.Very interested in your experiences-Thanks so much,