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Scoliosis Correction Center

X-Ray Showing broken Harrington Rod

Scoliosis Surgery: the Untold Truth

Scoliosis Correction questions?

Email:

ScoliosisCorrection@gmail.comor

Call Dr. Hersh: 860-727-8820

or 860-524-8955 


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Outcomes of Surgical Treatment

Here are a few sample letters from actual persons who underwent surgical intervention for scoliosis correction: the exact wording has been altered to protect the privacy of the individual.

Here is a little background regarding my current adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. I was recently in a car crash which has caused some neck and lower back issues for me. I am currently undergoing physical therapy and some exercises to help strengthen the muscles. It appears from these findings that I have degenerative spinal issues. I am only 39 years old and I would like to slow the progress of the disease and treat the lumbar and thoracic spine scoliosis and ward off any surgeries (since I have already had 3). I am hoping that there is a way that I can get some improvement on the scoliosis that seems to be progressing in the thoracic, lumbar spine and cervical spine. I have been advised that surgery would be the only option for me or live with this condition.

I had the initial Harrington procedure and fifteen months later had to have a Harrington re-instrumentation (the rods were too long so they installed shorter rod on the left side). The third surgery was a replacement of the rods and a fusion repair. I know that there is no more correction for the places where the rods are but I have curvature below the rods that I am hoping to have treated and perhaps corrected.

Here is a letter from a middle aged male with scoliosis:

"I had scoliosis surgery 34 years ago and had a Harrington Rod inserted. During the surgery they took a bone graft from my left hip which they told me would be used to insert the rod. I healed quite well from the surgery.

In recent years I have been plagued by a variety of health problems -- severe chronic fatigue and urinary tract irritability (potentially interstitial cystitis), along with chronic pain in my lower back and, more recently, much pain in my left hip where the bone graft was done. We have traced the chronic fatigue to high heavy metal levels (lead, mercury and copper). The heavy metal levels were determined via a 24 hour urine provocation test which measured the levels in my tissues."

Here is a question from a woman who had the scoliosis surgery:

Dear doctor,
I have had 5 fusions-hooks and screws I believe. I am fused from C1 to L4. Now the curve is progressing and left ribs are almost meeting left hip.

If you have any advice, I would be grateful
Thank you, Claire

Scoliosis Surgery, A Last Resort

Surgery should only be done as a last resort when ALL other options have failed. I recently had a scheduled appointment with a middle aged woman to evaluate and treat her scoliosis. Before her appointment date, she inquired as to whether her insurance would cover her treatment. Upon learning that it might only reimburse her some percent of her care, she cancelled her visit. Interestingly enough, it is not uncommon for insurance companies to pay all or a large part of a very expensive surgical procedure such as the ones mentioned in the above letters. Of course the end result is not always the best result. In fact to assume that insurance reimbursement of a particular procedure or medical service is tantamount to it being the best treatment can be a very costly assumption in terms of your health. Insurance companies are not medical or diagnostic entities. In fact their ultimate goal is to their shareholders not to their policy holders. Just read a daily paper to find stories of insurance companies’ unwillingness to cooperate in the payment of a medical claim, and especially for a non-traditional one at that.

A Letter from a Scoliosis Surgery Patient

 

Dr Hersh

My name is Bonnie, I'm almost nineteen years old and was operated on
in June 2003 for severe curvature of the spine.

It came on very quickly and by the time I managed to see a specialist I was
told Harrington rod implantation surgery was my only option. It went ahead a
couple of months later. The Cobb angle was 72°, reduced to 30° with surgery.

Having visited your site today, I realize that I was kept in the blue about
many things. No such loss of life expectancy or snapping of the rods were
ever mentioned to me. Nor was the fact that after 22 years my scoliosis
could be back to square one
.

What worries me today is that my lower back, an un-fused area, is becoming
more and more painful, and that since 2003 my posture has regressed and my
ribs are becoming more and more deformed
. The rib deformity is what worries
me the most; I'm scared it will start to affect my breathing if something
isn't done. What are the pros and cons of rib resection after back surgery?
What do you recommend I do?

I would have liked to be able to ask these questions in person but I live in
Europe, so this is impossible.

Thank you,

Miss Brown

(Name changed to protect identity)

 



Our doctor is happy to assist you with any questions you may have. He is available to discuss your case by telephone or you may email us at ScoliosisCorrection@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

 

Surgery or Alternative Treatment: Dr. Hersh explains your choices.

Telephone: 860-727-8820 or 860-524-8955

Postal address: 105 Hungerford St., Hartford, CT 06106

Electronic mail : General Information: scoliosiscorrection@gmail.com

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