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Harrington rods and complications
Spine Health | Last Active: Nov 10 11:56am | Replies (54)Comment receiving replies
I am a polio survivor ( 1954 epidemic) and soon after developed scoliosis. After emerging from an iron lung that kept me alive I was fitted with a series of torso braces as I grew up and as the spinal curve increased to a state of alarm Eventually as a 14 year old teenager, I given the choice of wearing a St Louis brace which appeared horrifying or Harrington rods. It was explained to me that I would never be the same flexibility wise but I chose the rods and Dr. Harrington performed spinal fusion and implanted his rods in 1965. The rods have never broken or in themselves been a problem but I am 70 now and over the years my spine has been slumping and my hips are no longer even resulting in one leg being a fair bit shorter than the other which makes walking a wobbly adventure. I have been contemplating whether I should return to wearing a back/torso brace of some sort. Burt don't know if this would do any good. Anyone have a similar experience?
Replies to "I am a polio survivor ( 1954 epidemic) and soon after developed scoliosis. After emerging from..."
Do you think polios causes scoliosis? I’ve been wondering for years. I for some reason have always strongly felt that the polio vaccine gave me scoliosis so I was curious to read your post!
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What a journey you’ve been through! I will say I was fused T2-L2 when I was 18 years old to correct my severe double scoliosis curves. After about 10 years everything below my fusion had basically crumbled. I’d had a couple surgeries on L4-L5 but no relief. I had developed flatback that progressed into kyphosis. I was then confined to a wheelchair for about 6 months as walking became impossible. I had flatback revision done anterior and posterior and they also put a cage in my lumbar to give me a curve in my low back again. That surgery was life changing. I went on for 7 years. If you find a surgeon you really trust I think the revision would absolutely be worth it.
I have to say I was extremely interested to read about the polio. I was vaccinated for polio in 1985 and for my entire adult life have been convinced that the vaccine gave me scoliosis. Have physicians ever linked your polio and scoliosis?