Information for my niece re: treatment method.

[Guest guest]

Because of her location, my 14 y/o niece cannot connect to the

internet to get more information on her diagnosed scoliosis.

She has a 23 degree thoracic curve to the left, and a 21 degree

lumbar curve to the right. Looks 'S' shaped on x-rays.

Her doctor/orthopod has suggested treatment with what he called

a 'Risser Jacket' for 3 months, followed by a Boston or Milwaukee

after that until maturity, or the need for surgery became evident.

We both know about the boston/milwaukee, but what is a Risser Jacket?

She is quite active, so how will this affect that?

Thanks.

Bob.

[Guest guest]

Hi .

what kind of scoliosis does your niece have?

My son had an idiopathic scoliosis, but there are other kinds. Her curves

are low yet, so she might have luck with her brace. Do you have more

details?

Marcia in PA

Information for my niece re: treatment method.

> Because of her location, my 14 y/o niece cannot connect to the

> internet to get more information on her diagnosed scoliosis.

>

> She has a 23 degree thoracic curve to the left, and a 21 degree

> lumbar curve to the right. Looks 'S' shaped on x-rays.

>

> Her doctor/orthopod has suggested treatment with what he called

> a 'Risser Jacket' for 3 months, followed by a Boston or Milwaukee

> after that until maturity, or the need for surgery became evident.

>

> We both know about the boston/milwaukee, but what is a Risser Jacket?

>

> She is quite active, so how will this affect that?

>

> Thanks.

>

> Bob.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

>

> Hi .

> what kind of scoliosis does your niece have?

> My son had an idiopathic scoliosis, but there are other kinds. Her

curves

> are low yet, so she might have luck with her brace. Do you have

more

> details?

>

> Marcia in PA

's has been classified as idopathic at this time.

She saw the doctor again today, and he says that if he does use the

risser jacket, it would be made from moulded plastic rather than

plaster or fiberglass. Seems he does care that the plaster would be

very uncomfortable in the heat of summer. The bad part about the

plastic is it would be worn just like the plaster one would be..once

put on, never taken off until time to make changes. He is going to

fuse the plastic somehow so it becomes one solid unit. The advantage

is she can still bathe and shower in it, and even swim some as long

as she showers well afterwards to get any chlorine out.

I'll fill in more details as I get them. Thanks for all the notes

and encouragement we have received from the group members.

Bob.

[Guest guest]

Hi Bob...

How old is your niece? I haven't heard of casts (plaster) being used,

except for very young children, for many years. And, I think I've heard

of the Risser jacket, but only as a post-op treatment.

Regards,

[Guest guest]

and Bob,

I am not a doctor or any sort of health care expert - but I have

seen the Risser jacked used pre-operatively in Europe (Italy to be exact).

From what I understood - and please take what I'm saying with a grain of

salt, the Risser jacket differs from a " normal " cast because it attempts to

derotate the vertebrae. The Risser jacket I saw was in plaster however....

back in the dark ages. , you might want to check this out with someone

as I don't want to be sending wrong information around. The results I saw

were excellent. The Europeans tend to do more pre-op casting and bracing in

the hopes of blocking the scoliosis and keeping it blocked at an acceptabe

level to give the patient more time with a " normal " rather than a fused

back. It's just another approach to the scoliosis problem.

Best,

from Italy

[Guest guest]

My 11 year old daughter wore the Wilmington brace for a year and a half (23

hours a day). It is made from a mold and is not too heavy. She wore it last

summer, and although she hated it, it wasn't too bad. She could take it off

for swimming, etc. I do recommend it. She also has idiopathic scoliosis.

Her curve started out at 30 degrees, but did progress to 54 nonetheless. On

the 16th she had spinal fusion done. She'll hopefully be coming home from

the hospital tomorrow. She was fused from T2 all the way to L1. It was

longer than we all expected, but at least she is now straight and won't have

to wear a brace again. Everyday really does get better (even though she

won't always admit it). Good luck!

[Guest guest]

,

I don't know anything about the Risser brace. Does your insurance pay for

it? We were investigating the Copes brace which works by inflating and

deflating air pockets to make and keep the adjustment in place. The brace is

only part of a several part plan, but our insurance didn't cover it and it

was quite expensive (for the entire plan). After almost a year of trying

and trying to get it covered, the Institute finally admitted to me that they

had never gotten insurance to cover it. We would have to look to alternate

financing ( loan, family aid, something) and when I asked if there was any

proof that it would help curves over 65 degrees, they said, sure...but

didn't have any documentation to back it up. I have no doubt it would have

made Mike more comfortable...any back support would have helped. No

doctor..not one...would prescribe any brace. But by then all my research

had said that no brace would help over 65 degrees.

H hope you have luck with your brace since your niece's curve is still

treatable.

Keep in touch.

Marcia

Re: Information for my niece re: treatment

method.

>

> >

> >

> > Hi .

> > what kind of scoliosis does your niece have?

> > My son had an idiopathic scoliosis, but there are other kinds. Her

> curves

> > are low yet, so she might have luck with her brace. Do you have

> more

> > details?

> >

> > Marcia in PA

>

> 's has been classified as idopathic at this time.

>

> She saw the doctor again today, and he says that if he does use the

> risser jacket, it would be made from moulded plastic rather than

> plaster or fiberglass. Seems he does care that the plaster would be

> very uncomfortable in the heat of summer. The bad part about the

> plastic is it would be worn just like the plaster one would be..once

> put on, never taken off until time to make changes. He is going to

> fuse the plastic somehow so it becomes one solid unit. The advantage

> is she can still bathe and shower in it, and even swim some as long

> as she showers well afterwards to get any chlorine out.

>

> I'll fill in more details as I get them. Thanks for all the notes

> and encouragement we have received from the group members.

>

> Bob.

>

>

>

>

>

>