Re: CT Scan - screws removed

[Guest guest]

Does everyone have their screws removed after a period of time? My

surgeon never mentioned that.

Donna

>

> I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu

could

> see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in order

to

> have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she

couldn't

> make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I found

out

> that my local hospital doesn't have a machine " modern " enough to

> capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they saw

was

> artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it

> correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a

second

> CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The

> practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the

local

> place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to have

the

> removal in March.

>

> Wish me luck......always something.

>

> Carol

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Donna,

I have had my screws/bolts for five years, and see no need to have mine out as they are not painful. My doc's did warn me that some must have them out if they become painful, I believe they said around forty percent eventually have them out. Don't anticipate problems, but if they get painful you may have to keep in the back of your mind that they may need to come out. Of late we seem to have a rash of members needing them removed, but truly they overall seem to be in the minority, as many of us have had them for years with little or no problems.

[ ] Re: CT Scan - screws removed

Does everyone have their screws removed after a period of time? My surgeon never mentioned that.Donna>> I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu could > see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in order to > have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she couldn't > make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I found out > that my local hospital doesn't have a machine "modern" enough to > capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they saw was > artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it > correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a second > CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The > practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the local > place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to have the > removal in March.> > Wish me luck......always something.> > Carol>

[Guest guest]

Thanks . I will file that info in case. He did mention that

the worse case scenario would be if the screws got lose, then he

would have to reoperate and fix the screw.

> >

> > I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu

> could

> > see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in

order

> to

> > have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she

> couldn't

> > make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I

found

> out

> > that my local hospital doesn't have a machine " modern " enough

to

> > capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they

saw

> was

> > artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it

> > correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a

> second

> > CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The

> > practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the

> local

> > place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to

have

> the

> > removal in March.

> >

> > Wish me luck......always something.

> >

> > Carol

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Donna,

Illiac bolts/ screws are what we are talking about, they do remove those only if painful, a one day hospital stay usually, and a fairly minor proceedure. Other screws, that connect the hardware system to your spine, usually stay, and are not removed, those loosening can be a sign of non fusion. Illiac bolts are long screw like bolts that go into your illiac crests, much longer and bigger than those used to attach your rods to your spine. has pictures of her illiac bolts in her photo's in the photos section. I have Illiac bolts, but also have 27 other screws as part of my hardware system. I'm K, in the photo's section. I told Dr. Kumar I have more hardware in me than the Home Depot, he said " No , you are the Home Depot!". Some times terminology can be confusing, as some call the bolts screws, my doc always called them bolts.

[ ] Re: CT Scan - screws removed

Thanks . I will file that info in case. He did mention that the worse case scenario would be if the screws got lose, then he would have to reoperate and fix the screw.> >> > I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu > could > > see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in order > to > > have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she > couldn't > > make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I found > out > > that my local hospital doesn't have a machine "modern" enough to > > capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they saw > was > > artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it > > correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a > second > > CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The > > practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the > local > > place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to have > the > > removal in March.> > > > Wish me luck......always something.> > > > Carol> >>

[Guest guest]

No, Donna. Sometimes the iliac screws need to be removed because of irritation to surrounding tissue. I have iliac screws and have had no trouble with them. I'm at 15 months post-revision.

Sharon

[ ] Re: CT Scan - screws removed

Does everyone have their screws removed after a period of time? My surgeon never mentioned that.Donna>> I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu could > see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in order to > have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she couldn't > make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I found out > that my local hospital doesn't have a machine "modern" enough to > capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they saw was > artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it > correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a second > CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The > practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the local > place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to have the > removal in March.> > Wish me luck......always something.> > Carol>

[Guest guest]

In the hardware store, bolts are generally secured by a threaded nut. These iliac doo-hickeys are long but as far as I can tell they screw into the bone with no nut to secure them. So, whatever a particular surgeon may choose to call them, they function as screws.

Sharon

[ ] Re: CT Scan - screws removed

Thanks . I will file that info in case. He did mention that the worse case scenario would be if the screws got lose, then he would have to reoperate and fix the screw.> >> > I know I posted that I had a CT scan done in December so Dr. Hu > could > > see if I had the bone growth that she wanted to see there in order > to > > have my pelvic screws removed. She got them last week and she > couldn't > > make out a thing!! After a bunch of phone calls yesterday I found > out > > that my local hospital doesn't have a machine "modern" enough to > > capture the right slices in order to see bone growth. All they saw > was > > artifact. So, I found a machine in a nearby town that can do it > > correctly, but now the problem is....will my insurance cover a > second > > CT scan? and if not, would I be able to pay for it myself? The > > practice assistant has to call the insurance and then call the > local > > place. I hope I can get all this done ASAP. I was hoping to have > the > > removal in March.> > > > Wish me luck......always something.> > > > Carol> >>

[Guest guest]

Andy,

Its great news that you are doing so well and that the surgery to

removed the dreaded screws was so uneventful. I hope that it turns out

that this was the source of your continued discomfort...I suppose it

will be awhile until you are really able to tell...but we can keep our

fingers crossed!

I can understand why you feel so fearful of the cold....it makes me

tense and I know that can mean more pain for many. And there is the

risk of slipping...and I know that the last thing you want right now is

to have that happen. Take it easy and before you know it spring will be

here with many great days for a walk outside.

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I have

good news for everyone who might need to get some of their superficial (close

to the skin) hardware removed – it’s a piece of cake compared to

the original and revision procedures! Hooray!

My

surgery, with Dr. Boachie in NYC, took 2 hours two Wednesdays ago and I was

discharged on Saturday (and stayed an extra 2 days in New York ‘just in case’). A half

of one of my two rods was removed with all its screws (because they were

inflaming soft tissue and causing bursitis and scarring – and pain). I

hardly needed IV morphine by the second day and was off of it by Friday. In

comparison, I nearly overdosed after my revision surgery in 2003 – I

needed so much morphine that the doctor put a CRASH cart in my room in case I

needed to be resuscitated.

I was

able to get up out of bed the day after surgery and to walk the hospital

corridors by the second day.

On

Saturday evening, at our ‘hotel’ (a studio apartment affiliated

with the hospital) I took a shower (with a plastic bag over my torso so as not

to get my bandages wet) and washed my hair!

I was

given Percocet 7’s (I’m used to 5’s) – three a day

– for a month of recuperation, but I am trying not to use them much

because they wipe me out and give me an upset stomach and blurry vision. When I

don’t take them I have stiffness and burning pain (sometimes it feels

like someone kicked me – youch). I am now trying to substitute 2 Ultram a

few times a day – I’ll have to see how it goes.

Dr.

Boachie told me not to exercise, except to walk, for a month. I’m really

too tired – on or off the Percocet - to do much of anything other than

feed the cats, prepare light meals and do laundry. The idea of going out in the

cold is scary – I guess I’m feeling vulnerable and just want to be

warm and cozy. In comparison, though, it took me two full months to do anything

like that after my revision.

I hope

this info helps.

Best

Wishes,

Andy (Boulder CO)

[Guest guest]

>

> In the hardware store, bolts are generally secured by a threaded nut. These

iliac doo-

hickeys are long but as far as I can tell they screw into the bone with no nut

to secure

them. So, whatever a particular surgeon may choose to call them, they function

as

screws.

>

> Sharon

Sharon,

There are threaded nuts that hold the rods in place, usually they sit inside the

bolt head

so you would not be able to see them on an x-ray. The spinal " bolts " have just a

bit

different structure than a normal bolt.

[Guest guest]

But there are no nuts in the ilium, so on that end it's a screw, no?

:^)

[ ] Re: CT Scan - screws removed

>> In the hardware store, bolts are generally secured by a threaded nut. These iliac doo-hickeys are long but as far as I can tell they screw into the bone with no nut to secure them. So, whatever a particular surgeon may choose to call them, they function as screws.> > SharonSharon,There are threaded nuts that hold the rods in place, usually they sit inside the bolt head so you would not be able to see them on an x-ray. The spinal "bolts" have just a bit different structure than a normal bolt.