Re: Hey Clinic March 17 2008 Surgery: Valerie, 13 yo idiopathic scoliosis correction. Tears of joy.

Valerie, who just turned 13 a few days ago, and has been followed at Hey Clinic by Brittany, one of my wonderful PA’s, for her scoliosis over this past year.  Unfortunately, her curve has progressed significantly, beyond the realm of bracing, and today she had it fixed!  

Valerie was a real trooper this morning in Preop.  We purposely did not do any needle sticks, or intravenous lines until she was “asleep” in the operating room.  She does NOT like needles!  Her mom and dad were able to stay with her in a private room in the preop area, until she went back for surgery.  Ruth, one of our evoked potential monitoring techs put on a few of the “leads” on her head with some removable glue (and no needles!)

Her surgery went great, with an excellent correction using 2 titanium rods and thoracic pedicle screws.
Her surgery took 2 hours and 45 minutes, with an estimated blood loss (EBL) of approximately 600 cc, with approximately half of that “recycled” back to her as “cell saver” blood.  No blood transfusions were needed.  Her evoked potential (sensory and motor) were both normal during surgery.

Her mom and dad, Bob and Vickie gave a very big “WOW!” when I showed them the new X-Rays that I had just taken during surgery of her new shape.

Later on this afternoon, Valerie came up to her private room on the Duke Raleigh Orthopaedic floor, where her mom and dad were waiting for her.  When I came up to round on her this evening around 7 pm, her nurse told me that Valerie was crying “tears of joy” when she was wheeled up to the room, just thankful that her scoliosis was now straight, and the waiting was over.  Valerie was very psyched to see her new X-Ray, that her mom and dad showed her as soon as she got to the room.  Mom will actually stay with her in this room in a real bed next to Valerie.

Edna, our Coordinator for the Orthopaedic Unit then took our team picture together, which is shown as well.  Mom and Dad and Valerie all look very happy and relieved this evening! This is a good example of how a teenager feels a few hours after scoliosis surgery.

Lookin’ good Valerie!

Lloyd A. Hey, MD MS
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com
Raleigh, NC   USA