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Ventura, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 5:04am
My son fractured his T8 vertebra in two places yesterday.
The docs up there are doing an MRI and are saying they want to inject some type of plastic (not sure yet if it's for cartiledge or for the fractures themselves). It's either that or surgery depending on what the MRI says.
I'm not liking the surgery idea at all, but don't know anything about this injection procedure.
Anyone had experience with this?
The docs up there are doing an MRI and are saying they want to inject some type of plastic (not sure yet if it's for cartiledge or for the fractures themselves). It's either that or surgery depending on what the MRI says.
I'm not liking the surgery idea at all, but don't know anything about this injection procedure.
Anyone had experience with this?
I'd suggest talking to another ortho who does spine work before just going with the injection. If it will heal on it's own that would be my choice. I dont' want anything in my back I don't have to have there.
I haven't heard of that procedure but they are really making advances on back and spinal problems. I wish you guys the best outcome.
The Shop
Like Dave said, I have no answers for you, but I hope it all works out well.
What happened?
Of course I still have lower back problems but nothing major. I'm sure you already are doing so but I would definately get several opinions before signing onto anything. Hope everything turns out OK.
My mom has had multiple back surgeries starting in the early eighties. The first was a (cutting edge at the time) cow bone fusion which ultimately lead to bolting steel rods to the lower half of her spine.
Getting more than one opinion is the only way to decide what the least invasive / most effective solution will be.
Haven't been able to talk to him directly yet because he's on some heavy pain medication - just getting info thru the g/f now.
Last night his g/f said he could be released this morning with a brace of some type that they were ordering for him. Then they did CAT scans and decided they wanted to look further with an MRI apparently. Not sure when those results will be in, but based on what they saw they would determine if they use a needle or a knife.
I'm trying to make arrangements to get up there myself so I can get this firsthand from the docs.
http://www.spinefracture.org/
I lost 30% of t 4,5 &6. in 91. wish they had the plastic thing back then as now Im 40 and live with lots of pain. Ive seen 3 dr's they all recomended Kyphoplasty.
What I'm getting at is that I'd get more than just a second opinion, I'd get several. And I'd get them from different types of doctors - orthopedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, etc. And keep in mind that not all orthopedists are qualified to do all types of surgery. Get muliple opinions from various specialists, and try to go the least invasive route as possible. You can always go back and do something more invasive if needed, but you can't go back and reverse the more invasive stuff if you have problems from it.
He's young (24) and in excellent physical shape.
His bone density is good.
After 6 - 12 weeks in a brace he should be OK.
He will be examined several times during the 6-12 weeks, and his progress will determine whether it's closer to 6 weeks or 12.
So as of tonight they're keeping him for a couple more days during which time he'll be fitted for a brace.
I like the idea of no surgery, and his g/f says they've been real thorough on his case. She feels satisfied in the diagnosis, and as thumpa says - if needed they can always go in and fix it later if required.
He was wearing an Axo RX-5 helmet when he crashed and according to his g/f it's broken now. She said if he'd been wearing a standard bike helmet he wouldn't have made it thru this one.
It could have been a whole lot worse.
Thanks for the good thoughts all.
Surgeon recommended a brace and plenty of walking to help the bone mending.
Said if the pain is unbearable they can always go in at a later date. That's a better option as it seems there are not many people that experience long term relief from back surgery.
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