Scheuermann's Disease Support Group

Hey folks. I'm new here. Wondering if anyone has any information..Such as new treatments, ssi, surgery methods and results, etc. I haven't seen a doctor in ten years and the surgery they described to me sounded medevil, it included removing pieces of rib, inserting hooks into upper and lower vertebrae and connecting them with a metal chain. I think they told me there was a 10% chance it would be successeful and heal properly. They also told me theyd never do it till i had quit smoking for 5 years. Because apparently smoking makes bone not heal.

Love and peace at all of you.

hey I had surgery in august and i'm fused from t3-L2. I have 2 rods and 22 screws. My back went from 74 degrees to around 40. I dont have any back pain anymore and it looks much more normal now physically. I would say it was a succesful surgery.

Hello...i am currently scheduled foe surgery march 3rd of this year...and i used to be a smoker, but wasn't turned away cuz of it...jus had to quit and my surgeon jus pissed tested me every visit to make sure the nicotine has subsidedand ...but didn't have to wait 5 years...i quit back in July last year and got my date in November...jus as long as ya dont cheat and yes the nicotine does cause a slower progression of the healing process..yea so jus don't do it..hahahaha...but i am goin thru the same guy as ml189837...i will be fused t3-l3...and the whole healing process is different in every case...but wit my guy their is a 2-5% chance that he said could have a complication...that meaning he does not have time for error...bridwell uses this stuff called BMP(bone morphogenic protein)which is super bone growth inhibiter and promotes faster,healthier , and more stronger bone growth.....it all jus depends on ur degree of ur curve to bud...surgery won't even be consider until at least ur curve is at a 70 degree level....any other questions dude...please get it out there

Post edited by: Dirk, at: 02/23/2011 11:43 AM

My daughter was fused T2-L2 in early December. Like Bridwell, our surgeon used the BMP. I guess you could think of rods, hooks, screws as medevil (sp?) but it is what they can do at this point, and the technique has been studied and improved over the years. We too consider the surgery a success at this point even though she is still in the healing process. Welcome to the group!

Hi welcome to the group. Our doctor(Lenke) is also out of Washington Univ. in St. Louis as is Bridwell. However he will not be using BMP. He will use cadaver bone. I not sure anyone uses the patients rib as it takes longer for the rib removal site longer to heal, most of the time, than the spine. This according to our medical team. To have surgery was a hard decision for us to make as the parents. Since SK is a progressive disease and we saw additional progression in a 6 month period, we are scheduled for surgery in July. Do you know if your curve is progressing? And yes no smoking is allowed.