Harrington rods and complications

@peggyparker To answer your question, I never had the Harrington rods...by then they were doing fusion.. I have 2 plates and 6 screws plus bone from my hip to hold the stack and get the vertebrae in line in the stack. My fusion was the result of an accident as well, but I had time after the accident (not involving a motor vehicle) to try to walk around for 6 months before the surgery.. That surgery was done by a spine surgeon in Oklahoma City in 1995.. That doctor is retired..

WELL I consented to surgery we just didnt discuss in detail his plan for me, this was my 4th surgery i kept getting infection on hardware and they would have to remove it and replace it was just a little 4x4 plate and some screws, so when i woke it dying in pain , i found out he put harrington rods in telling me i had
Osteomalacia and the rods would protect my spine from softening

Did you ever find a surgeon to remove your rods?

Hi all. I had a spinal fusion with a Harrington rod placed in 1973, when I was 12 years old (my spine had 2 severe curvatures). The surgery was done by Dr. Stanley Hoppenfeld, who was an esteemed author and well known orthopedist. He specialized in the application of the Harrington Rod. After many office jobs, at age 31 I started bartending and then I did Nursing, with no complications. They are both very active jobs. At age 44, I helped to move a patient of mine and I felt a tear in my neck and back, which eventually disabled me from ever working again in either a bartending or Nursing capacity. The main source of the pain was where the rod starts. Then, 5 years later I started having pain in my lumbar spine, where the rod ended. For the last 13 years I have had lower back pain that at first was manageable but is now severe. I still have chronic pain where the rod starts. I recently had 2 Medial Branch blocks of the lumbar spine and because they were both successful I had the main procedure, a Radiofrequency ablation. The ablation was not successful, (30% of patients do not get pain relief). Aside from having the Ablation procedure repeated, (which I plan on doing), I have been told that the only other option to relieve the pain (and the Flatback Syndrome that I have, which is a result of the fusion) is surgery. I am currently in Physical Therapy for core strengthening for the Flatback Syndrome, and the Dr. has said it can become worse. And of course, at age 62, I have arthritis. So I agree with you, I have had severe problems in the areas where the rod starts and stops. The Orthopedists have said that the muscles at these locations have taken the brunt of the movement for 50 years and that causes all of the pain and the inflammation. From what I understand, the Harrington Rod is no longer used, now there are several rods placed along the spine to straighten the curve(s). Unfortunately, I have read that there are numerous back issues for so many, years after the fusion. The injury changed my life for the worst and it has not been a pleasant journey. If I do not get relief from the second Ablation, I actually may consider a revision surgery to correct the Flatback Syndrome (which I said I'd never do) and hopefully alleviate the pain. It is very painful to always try to stand straight and I have been told that the condition can get worse. Once the the core muscles become weak it is difficult to reverse the problem. It is a shame that surgery that saved our lives so many years ago has caused so many to have chronic pain and back issues so many years later.

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?

I have CD rods from surgery in 1990 but my main issue is numbness and cannot walk well. I use Cloud 9 lotion on my feet when nerve pain occurs.

I believe the L-5 is main nerve to legs. They said I had scoliosis too, but I never knew.
In my case of numb leg causing drop foot on left was because surgeon left a piece of bone that sawed L-5 to left leg, still numb shin to foot years later left leg is still weak—try to get CT scan to see if anything they did caused your numbness,

Thank you for your info. I have CD rods put in for scoliosis in 1990 and have been to many doctors and they all say nothing can help numbness. I can hardly walk. I keep in touch with Iowa City Neurologist yearly. Went to Mayo many years ago and I may try to go back there not sure. Was hoping to find someone with same issues to help me. Thank you!

Hello @vbloomf and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see you found a discussion on harrington rods so you will notice, I have moved the response from @cbeasley here to join you.

Have you went through PT and/or a Pain Clinic like Mayo offers, by chance?

Pool therapy, I missed it about Harrington rods??