Scoliosis Surgery: Broken Titanium Rods

Yes- I have one rod that is broken- its in the lumbar region. I don't experience any pain with it unless I push where the broken on is. They said surgery was not necessary unless I was having horrible pain. At that point Im wondering if they would just remove them?

I had the same thimg done at 12 and I am now 27 and i also had them break in two spots both rods and yes i have horrible pain nevers get pinched all the time also had have arms go numb and i havent had tjem fixed for.the same reason u said all i can do is take pain pills. And my wonderful husband rubs my back constantly hot hot hot baths help but nothing takes it away completely ...ill hav to hav them go back in but the recovery is so long and im a mother of a nine years old and am hopeing to jave anotjer baby with in the next 4 years soo ill have to deal ...sorry about the on and on and i hope this has helped u

Hi, I live in Canada and had a spinal fusion in 1995. I was a lot older than you at the time (33 years old). I was fine for many years, but a couple of years ago I had felt something jutting out of my back and went for an X ray. Two screws had broken in the titanium rods and it took me well over a year to see a specialist. My surgeon has since retired. I was told they can take out a good portion of the rods, but would leave the broken part of the screw that is in my spine there as they would have to make a bigger hole in the spine to get the screw out that would weaken the area. I'm fine with that. I was supposed to have surgery in December, 2013, but it was cancelled and I am waiting for a re-schedule, most likely in February, 2014. I am having extreme pain if I move a certain way. I think the hardware is touching some nerves. If you haven't done anything yet, I will keep you posted after my surgery. By the way, they didn't say they would do any exploratory surgery. They did a CT scan and told me exactly what they intend to do.

i am not sure, my brother, as i am continuing to search for a specialist who actually cares, or who would consider taking my insurance.
it is a hassle, to have have ANY idea as to what the solution may be, while otherwise, reluctantly taking meds to "disguise" the problem.
i am 38. with a broken titanium rod, that which may have not been tainted, had i not been rear ended @ an intersction, 'cause he dropped his cell ...

I had my spine fused from T3-L3 in 2003 and also had 2 titanium rods put on either side of my spine. I put up with horrible pain in my shoulderblade area for 6 years. To me it felt like the rods or screws were tearing up my shoulderblade bone/tendons/muscles/something in my shoulderblade area. Then I got a pinched nerve and it became too much.

Spent months doing MRI's, bone scans, xrays and other tests and therapies (Physical Therapy, massage, electrotherapy, surprisingly this one helped me the most) and the doctors told me my hardware was fine and there was no reason for my pain. My options were to live with the pain or opt into exploratory surgery to remove the rods.

Since the pain was so bad I could no longer function or go to school I opted for the surgery--it certainly couldn't make it worse!

It was the best thing I ever did!!! Listen to your body. The doctors told me my hardware was perfect and couldnt be the cause of my years of shoulder pain but once the rods and screws were removed my shoulder felt relief. It felt like someone had removed thorns that had been tearing me up for years.

If you know that your rods are broken and if your body is telling you that they are what is causing your pain and you know and trust your surgeon (mine has been treating me since I was 6) then I recommend letting the doctors open you up and then take the best corrective course. In my case they removed all my hardware and checked my fusions. They even let me keep most of the hardware!

 

On a side note, I just posted a topic with more info about my current possible problem with my fusion. Have you had your fusions checked?

I had my surgery in 2003. Im now 27 with three children. Was told not to have children and had two by natural birth one by c-section due to being breached. In 2011 my rod broke in the lumbar area due to a screw being loose for years and never being told when I complained about pain. Lucky no nerve damage. I have lost a lot of ability since the rod broke but the doctors advise me not to have another fussion because my scoliosis is progressed back to 50 percent. Originally the spine was pressing against my heart. I questioned the fact of it progressing after breakage because I was told the hardware would stop growth. Im 5 foot 9 inches. I was 5foot 8inches at time of surgery. Instead of having a lot of pain upper where the scoliosis is progressed I have lumbar pain where the rod is broken. I can't stand, sit, or Lay very long. Yes I need surgery but they say its to risky at my age because I will need another surgery as I age. The more fussion the more complicated. You saying you want another child with the broken hardware is bold. I say bold because during pregnancy it weights on the back alone.

Hi, very sorry for your pain. It is almost impossible for someone not in a similar situation to feel the empathy . I had Scoliosis surgery for my back in Sept. 2012, then another surgery to repair a pedical screw that was up against a nerve at L5 in Jan. 2013, from S1 al the way up to Apx. 3" below my neck. I have two rods running up and down the length of my Back. In February 2014, I bent over and felt a distinct clunk, pop or snap in my low back. After a CT, two rods are broken at apex. L1/2. Excruciating pain immediately and with particular movements (like laying down onto the bed and getting up off of it). I went in for four inter spinal pain medicine treatments with pain management physician to no avail. Then I went back to see my scoliosis surgeon. He suggested that the rods may be causing fracture point nerve pain when movement pushes them and that the only way he could help would be to undergo exploratory surgery to make diagnostic prognosis and remove/repair. I am 60 years old and having been thru all this in the past two years and now this. I have temporarily gone into Limbo as to what to do. The thought of going thru a 3rd surgery is atrocious! I am approaching this with a lot of prayer and prayer partners until God helps me see the answer. Until then, I am back to taking a lot of pain medicine that does not really work very well on the nerve pain. Hope you have made much progress by the time you read this and are pain free. God bless you. Mark

I had the same surgery done at the same age... only it was 20 years ago, unfortunately nothing improves with age and I also have a rod bulging out of the center of my back... I can honestly say I feel your pain, sorry, it sucks, and the only thing the dr. said they can do for me is, removal of the hardware, which involves them chiseling it off of my spine...ouch, and that involves long recovery time. and of course meds

Hi I had my first set of rods put in at the age of 14 in 1987 When I was 21 I fell backwards and hit very close to the top rod and it snapped. I found that I did not have any movement in both legs this when on for two days then the rod moved again and all was back to normal. I then had another operation to put in a second replacement rod. The surgeon did say that I could not go in for any more back operation after the second one. I and in my 40 is. Yes I have got back pain like all of the posts above. I am on a pain management as well. I do hope this helping some way.

Yes, after a 2004 double spine fusion, I have never been without constant pain in my lower back, leg and hips. As of this week, I have finally gotten the answer that I thought when I kept asking: "has something broken with the hardware in by back" ?
I have a major break of a " titanium rod". No answer from those at Medronics as to why, the worlds strongest material, bear non has broken within my body in an area that I was assured would protect my back.

Where do I go from here ?
F18

Yes I have it, along with Flat Back Syndrome and Pseudo-Arthrosis, also failed fusions in my spine and cervical spine. 2002 I had Spinal Revision Surgery at UVA. 13 hour surgery. I had what is called Flat Back Syndrome caused by Harrington Rods inserted for Scoliosis in 1981. I had them replaced twice as I needed longer ones. Then I had the big surgery to get rid of the Harrington Rods and newer instrumentation. In 2005 I had cervical spine surgery with fusion and instrumentation. Going back for my final follow up appointment the doctor found I have two broken rods in my back and the fusions did not take. Now they want to do it all over again. The pain is bad, so I know what you are going through. I will not have any more surgeries. I should have never have had any in the first place. I would have been in a wheel chair sooner and that would be better then the pain I live with day and night. The surgeries were more harmful then the deformity I was born with. I say to you, because you are young. DO NOT HAVE ANYMORE SURGERIES. Do anything, but not that. Exercising is good, swimming is great, keep your weight down and above all keep moving. If you need medication take it as directed. Taking more does not help. I know because I was addicted to Hydrocodone. Try natural pain killers. Please be prudent about surgery, it does not always help. Know your limitations and rest when you need too. My daughter says she can feel the one rod sticking out in my back. I guess I try not to think of it anymore and just do what I can. God gets me through the hard days. Good luck to you. We are all different you know, but after 7 spine surgeries I can't do it again.

I am very interested in what you ended up doing as my husband is exactly the same as you accept is only second surgery to repair 2 broken rods in lumbar area

No, you need to get that broken rod out and a new one placed in. You are running the risk that if the other breaks you may end up in a wheel chair. Have the surgery as soon as possible with a S[ecialiced Revision Orthopedist. Like Dr. Moreno in The Florida Spine Institute, Clearwater, Florida ASAP.

In 1978 at the age of 15, I in was in a terrible head on mva. I was left with one femur shorten then the other, over the years both ankles were fused, my left knee replaced twice and finally I had 3/4 of my spine fused with all the hardware and 2 titanium rods. I was doing well for months. During my recover my spouse was injured at work with a painful low back injury, an now I was forced to do things that was told not to. His employer was not at all interested in helping prove his claim. At my next check up 9 months post surgical the surgeon told me I was beginning to lean forward and may need a few more discs fused. At my next check up, I was a mess. My rods are broken in 4 places, the tops three screws have been pulled loose and the rod is sticking up near my right shoulder. I cannot stand up straight. I have daily headaches, and migraines from hell. I did not have a fall, or any one specific injury I can pin point when these rods busted. I saw my surgeon in April 2015 and he said surgery was my only option. The next available date is November. I am terrified to go through all this again and end up with yet another failure..The only thing I can say for sure I did that was told NOT do, was mow with our large profession zero turn lawn mower.. I was 9 months into my healing, lived through our record snow fall and yes did do snow removal. I had to, as I have 4 older small dogs who needed to go out side. My xrays were okay after the snow removal, so really these rods broke on a mower ? My pain is 90 % better then before my fusion, and I keep asking myself....Can I LIVE this way ? Do I need to do the revision ? All I know is if I do the revision and it fails again, I am going to be so pissed off..I am 52 years old, and can get by. Yes I am still in pain management, but have pretty good movement. Pain is not that bad..My worry is will it increase as time passes ?? Please people who did wait and deal with the broken rods, tell me what is the down side. Is your pain something you can live with ? My plan is to try and get working out and see if I can build up some muscle that maybe I can pass on this surgery..PLEASE anyone who has lived long term with broke rods, give me advice. THANK YOU so much...I am so scared to do this again..