Re: back fusion - belts/fusing-Ketamine

[Guest guest]

I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that the fusion in your toes might work

differently to the back related one. My fusion was in the Thoracic spine so that

might be why there was less concern because there is less movement there.

I also remember when I was after having it done the follow-up doctor asked if I

was given the option of a new procedure where the put a cage around the fused

area that stimulates bone growth. Can't remember the name of it but can look

into what it is called if you want to know the name of it.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

back fusion - belts/fusing-Ketamine

Not sure what they use to aid in the fusion - the papers I've sent to the list

do discuss different materials beyond the metal/screws used once the bone is

removed, but again, I'm just beginning my research of the fusion itself. My

concern right now is if my bones are at risk of not fusing.

The fusion is part and parcel of the surgery Chip recently underwent - where

they remove bone to release the pressure on the tether. Theory is that for

those that have undergone multiple untetherings yet still experience decline,

this subtraction osteomony (sp) is helpful because it lessens the tension on the

spinal cord.

Hope this helps - I wrote about the fusion not taking because I recently had

surgery on all toes on left foot and I was supposed to have a screw placed

inside the big toe, but after three tries, my surgeon had to pin that toe

because the bone was too soft and wouldn't grab the screw. (Plus they released

all tendons to toes and did a procedure.) I'm afraid that this may end up

happening in my back. Although not what I consider old (I'm 49), I know that

multiple conditions/reasons have caused some of my bones to soften. (That said,

the toes are all fusing nicely though - bone was snipped at either end of the

middle joint and the last x-ray showed that they are all coming together nicely

- so it may be that I'm concerned over nothing.)

Jenn: I had to have a short procedure yesterday afternoon to have the pins

removed - was put under because the big toe pin went through toe into foot bone.

While waiting to get called for pre-op, a family was called and they brought to

the recovery room their mom's Canadian crutches and this back belt that was soft

covered plastic. A brace I had never seen before and caught my husband and my

attention - wondering if the mom had had a follow-up fusion or something. I

wonder if this is what you are referring to? It wasn't the typical back-brace

used for scoliosis and not what would be used for lifting either.

And someone wrote recently that they were given Ketamine for pain relief. They

gave this to me yesterday with a couple of other anesthesia drugs - said it had

amnesia properties ... I didn't know they were prescribing this for pain mgt.

also.

Kathy

Re: Re: new procedure for recurring tethered cord

>

> Kathy,

>

> There is a kind of estim belt used to help a spinal fusion take. I don't

> know all the details, but shortly after my first surgery, when I was

> visiting CO, I met a woman working at a shop who was wearing this rather

> bulky looking belt (although nothing compared to a hard brace for

> scoliosis,

> but more than a weight lifting belt). She said she had a fusion done and it

>

> wasn't taking, so they had her wearing this belt that did some kind of

> estim

> (if I'm not mistaken - it was almost 11 years ago) to help the graft take.

> I

> tried Googling it, but the only results Google pulls are for support belts

> for after a fusion.

>

> Jenn

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > Hi Chip,

> >

> <<SNIP>>

> >

> Did any nsg mention what they would do if the bone did not fuse properly

> > and/or how they would check to assure that it fused? The last paper I

> read

> > had some precautions that I hadn't heard of before which has put me back

> on

> > the fence. I know I can't keep sitting on this decision though - it's

> sh**

> > or get off the pot time for me once I see a second opinion nsg (and

> > hopefully Dr. Heisch in CA).

> >

> > Thanks and thanks again for sharing your experience.

> >

> > Kathy

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

That would be great, thank you.

When you had the fusion - did it help the tether (if you were tethered?)

Kathy

Re: Re: new procedure for recurring tethered cord

>

> Kathy,

>

> There is a kind of estim belt used to help a spinal fusion take. I don't

> know all the details, but shortly after my first surgery, when I was

> visiting CO, I met a woman working at a shop who was wearing this rather

> bulky looking belt (although nothing compared to a hard brace for

> scoliosis,

> but more than a weight lifting belt). She said she had a fusion done and it

>

> wasn't taking, so they had her wearing this belt that did some kind of

> estim

> (if I'm not mistaken - it was almost 11 years ago) to help the graft take.

> I

> tried Googling it, but the only results Google pulls are for support belts

> for after a fusion.

>

> Jenn

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > Hi Chip,

> >

> <<SNIP>>

> >

> Did any nsg mention what they would do if the bone did not fuse properly

> > and/or how they would check to assure that it fused? The last paper I

> read

> > had some precautions that I hadn't heard of before which has put me back

> on

> > the fence. I know I can't keep sitting on this decision though - it's

> sh**

> > or get off the pot time for me once I see a second opinion nsg (and

> > hopefully Dr. Heisch in CA).

> >

> > Thanks and thanks again for sharing your experience.

> >

> > Kathy

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, at that point they didn't even classify it as a tether. I wasn't even

aware I had a tether until a year ago. They did make comments that if I picked

up on at the time would indicated there was a tether such as " It was a mess in

there. "

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

Re: back fusion - belts/fusing-Ketamine

That would be great, thank you.

When you had the fusion - did it help the tether (if you were tethered?)

Kathy

Re: Re: new procedure for recurring tethered cord

>

> Kathy,

>

> There is a kind of estim belt used to help a spinal fusion take. I don't

> know all the details, but shortly after my first surgery, when I was

> visiting CO, I met a woman working at a shop who was wearing this rather

> bulky looking belt (although nothing compared to a hard brace for

> scoliosis,

> but more than a weight lifting belt). She said she had a fusion done and it

>

> wasn't taking, so they had her wearing this belt that did some kind of

> estim

> (if I'm not mistaken - it was almost 11 years ago) to help the graft take.

> I

> tried Googling it, but the only results Google pulls are for support belts

> for after a fusion.

>

> Jenn

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > Hi Chip,

> >

> <<SNIP>>

> >

> Did any nsg mention what they would do if the bone did not fuse properly

> > and/or how they would check to assure that it fused? The last paper I

> read

> > had some precautions that I hadn't heard of before which has put me back

> on

> > the fence. I know I can't keep sitting on this decision though - it's

> sh**

> > or get off the pot time for me once I see a second opinion nsg (and

> > hopefully Dr. Heisch in CA).

> >

> > Thanks and thanks again for sharing your experience.

> >

> > Kathy

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

I think this is what she was wearing

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/spinal-fusion/external-bone-growth-stimula\

tors-spine-fusion

BUT - this was more than 10 years ago. I believe it wasn't such a small unit

at the time. It was built into a belt. A little bigger than one of the

black lifting/support belts (and was white), but the same shape. It was

also thicker and had plastic (unlike the support belts that are made of

fabric)

Jenn

> <<SNIP>>

>

>

> Jenn: I had to have a short procedure yesterday afternoon to have the pins

> removed - was put under because the big toe pin went through toe into foot

> bone. While waiting to get called for pre-op, a family was called and they

> brought to the recovery room their mom's Canadian crutches and this back

> belt that was soft covered plastic. A brace I had never seen before and

> caught my husband and my attention - wondering if the mom had had a

> follow-up fusion or something. I wonder if this is what you are referring

> to? It wasn't the typical back-brace used for scoliosis and not what would

> be used for lifting either.

> <<SNIP>>

> Kathy

>