Degenerative scoliosis collapse in 41 yo woman w old Harrington rod adolescent idiopathic scoliosis fusion years ago --- fixed today.

T12-iliac wing instrum and fusion w multilevel lumbar osteotomies.
She did well, and will be going to ortho floor to be w her husband.
Up and around tomorrow.

It is a little unusual for scoliosis t collapse below fusions down to L1, but it still can happen. More modern instrumentation combined w earlier intervention can help restore better alignment of the lumbar spine w more motion segments.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

60 yo w progressive scoliosis and spondylolysis fixed today

Back from SRS today, and helped this woman get her scoli straightened up.

Did well.
Surgical time 6 hour 10 min.
Complic. None.
EBL: 1200 cc.

Its good to be back!!

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com
Dr. Lloydf Hey

Wonderful dinner w Dr. Wayne Cheng, one of my previous Duke Spine Fellows

Had a really blessed evening last night  w Dr. Wayne Cheng, one of my Duke Spine Fellows. He has been on faculty at Loma Linda in California now for 8 years serving as a spine surgeon including deformity/scoliosis surgery. He also has a wonderful family.

He is here at the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) meeting in San Antonio Texas.

It was just great to catch up over a nice dinner together along the beautiful River Walk -- and Wayne treated (thanks wayne)!! 

Dr. Lloyd Hey
http://www.heyclinic.com
Hey Clinic

Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)

I just arrived for our annual SRS meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Will be here for the next several days.
SRS has been around since 1966, and is a wonderful community of scoliosis / spinal deformity surgeons from around the world committed to improving care through research and learning together.

Several of my mentors, including Dr. John Hall, and Dr. John Emans at Voston Children's Hospital at Harvard have been instrumental leaders in SRS for many years. This conference also gives  a chance to get together with my mentors, colleagues, and my former fellows and residents from around the country.

Special "hello" to Tim, one of my scoliosis patients, who - learned yesterday is one of our most faithful Facebook friends!  Hi Tim, from San Antonio! 


Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC USA
http://www.heyclinic.com.
Check them out at SRS.org.

"Back to My Old Self" standing 3 inches taller today, taller than his wife again less than 24 hours after flat back surgery correction.

I stopped by to see Erik and his wife from Kentucky this afternoon in their private hospital room here at Duke Raleigh Hospital, where he has been since being transferred from PACU yesterday afternoon (no ICU needed).   Yesterday,  I performed the flat back syndrome anterior/posterior (A/P)  reconstruction for him, and I wanted to see how he did with his first physical therapy session this morning.  His photos of his xrays are on previous blog from yesterday.

His wife piped up first, and said “He’s 3 inches taller and standing up straight, taller than me now just like when we were married!”  In fact, he is pretty much back to his “old self” now, since I jacked open anteriorly the 2 discs that had collapsed below his long scoliosis fusion done 20 years ago, and actually was able to restore their full height!  Now he actually has fairly normal lordosis. His wife told me her version of more lordosis:  “He’s got his butt back again!”

Erik smiled.  He admitted that it felt great to be standing up straight, but he still hasn’t quite gotten used to it yet!  He was able to get up and even walk out into the hall, less than 24 hours after finishing his 6 and half hour complex anterior/posterior reconstruction.

They both seemed so relieved that a new chapter in their family’s life was beginning, with 2 big smiles that really made my day.  Many prayers answered for Eric and his family.

Get well soon, Erik.


Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
Raleigh, NC  USA  (RDU)
http://www.heyclinic.com

Find an excellent scoliosis/deformity surgeon through http://www.srs.org.

36 yo gentleman from Kentucky sp adolescent scoliosis instrumentation and fusion down t L4 w severe flat back syndrome fixed today

Procedure: anterior L45, L5S1 ALIF instrumentation and fusion, then posterior Smith Peterson osteotomies w extension instrumentation and fusion down to ilium.

Surgical time:  90 minutes anterior, then 5 hour ad 10 min posterior.

Lordosis flat back correction: excellent.
EBL: 2100 cc.
Blood transfused: none.

This technique is nice alternative to pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) when Harrington rod or other instrumentation fusion patients have adjacent level degeneration and failure w loss of disc height, pain, and kyphotic posture.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Debra and her husband tell their story of new life after scoliosis surgery.

We had the pleasure to see Debra and her husband back for follow-up one year after her T4-Iliac wing complex scoliosis reconstruction I performed last year. She looks and feels great, and too a minute to also share her story in brief attached video which she said we could share with all of you. She also shares about her very positive experience at Duke Raleigh Hospital.




Take care Debra, and thanks for sharing.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com
Member, Scoliosis Research Society (http://www.srs.org)

Anterior L5S1 ALIF, Posterior revision L1-Iliac wing reconstruction instrumentation and laminectomy and osteotomy for woman 9 yrs sp scoliosis fusion down to L5 w severe leg and back pain

This woman did great for many yrs after her complex scoliosis reconstruction back at "big Duke".
Over past few yrs she's developled progressive back and leg pain w kyphosis w adjacent level failure below her fusion.

She did well w surgery today.
Surgical time: 6 hour 40 min.
Complications: none.
EBL: 1,450 cc.
Blood 2 units prbc.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Today's kyphosis surgery in 16 yo young lady with severe back pain and bothersome deformity.

This young lady has had severe increasing back pain and deformity w 77 degree Scheuermann's Kypohosis. Her hump back posture also made her uncomfortable about her self image at school.

This morning we straightened her up, and her posture looks great.

Surgery: T3-L2 instrumentation and fusion w T10-12 smith petersn osteotomies.
EBL: 500 cc.
Blood transfused: none.
Complications: none.
Surgical time: 4 hour 15 min.

Her pain should be much better as well as her self image when she goes back to school in next 2-4 weeks.


Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Sarah Beth discusses getting back to life after scoliosis surgery

It was great to see Sarah Beth back for follow-up after her scoliosis surgery a year ago.
In this brief video, she tells how she has gotten back to her active lifestyle including soccer, and horseback riding after her surgery.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

Two Stories of True Love shared at Hey Clinic.

A couple of days ago, I happened to pop into one of the exam rooms at Hey Clinic to just say “Hello” to one of our recent complex kyphosciliosis revision surgery patients, and his son.  The patient is in his 70’s, and unfortunately has had declining kidney function over past few years to the point where he is near the need for dialysis.
The son, Ken, a very successful business owner, has always been so attentive to his dad. Ken started me questions about blood types, and how they get passed along to the children.  At first, I didn’t know why he was asking.

Then he told me:  He is planning to donate one of his own kidneys for his dad, so he will not need to go on dialysis.
The dad started to shed a tear.  I started to shed a tear.

As I came out of the exam room, Meredith and Shelbi at the front desk shared with me how one of the older ladies came up to the desk, and told her how much she missed her husband, who had passed away last year after over 51 years of marriage.  She shared her story on how they met, and had a wonderful life, but now her home is too quiet, and she misses him greatly.  Shelbi and Meredith shared a compassionate ear with this woman, but also were so thankful that she shared some of the joys from her long marriage with the 2 of them.

True Love.  Wow.  Powerful.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
http://www.heyclinic.com

X-Rays of my (Dr. Hey) broken, now healed leg over 31 years after being hit by a car

Just recently my mom and dad cleaned out and sold their home of 40+ years and moved to a retirement community.
During the cleanup, my mom uncovered one of my original X-Rays of my broken left leg from 1981, as well as a case report article about my accident which had a picture of my originally shattered leg from 1978.

Wow, that brought back a flood of memories of my ordeal as a patient as a teenager, going through 3 and a half months confined to hospital bed,  11 surgeries with constant threat of amputation and sepsis, and a 2-3 year recovery time to actually get back fully walking again.  My orthopaedic surgeon, Mark and Charles Pitman, stuck by me, and dealt with all sorts of complications and setbacks, but never gave up trying to help me get back on my feet, but also seeking to preserve my life as well.

My faith, heart, and direction took a very big turn during that “dark” period.
I simply would not be the father, husband, surgeon and neighbor/friend that I am now if I hadn’t gone through that very rough time.

My leg, although not pretty, is quite functional.  I can stand up for surgery for hours on end without a problem, and also ride my bicycle many miles, as well as exercise daily on elliptical, lift weights, etc.  I have some pain, but it is bearable.  I also have been able to even do a little bit of jogging, which has been a real joy as well.

Today I brought my old X-Rays into work and shared them with the Hey Clinic staff.  They caused quite a stir!
Emily in my office was kind enough to get my old X-Ray on the old fashioned film digitized over at Duke Raleigh Hospital Radiology for free (thanks Duke Raleigh Radiology!), and got my 1978 X-Ray that we had in a publication scanned in.  Melissa, one of our radiology technologists at Hey Clinic shot a new digital x-ray of my leg today — the first I have had in over 14 years!  You can really see the healing that has occurred over many years from my original injury where 2 inches of my tibia got kicked out onto the street and was unusable.

I learned a lot by being on the “receiving end” as a patient about what to do, and what not to do when caring for patients.  The world really does look a lot different when you are looking up from the hospital bed.

I thank God every day when I wake up, and can get opportunity to live another day, since I could have easily have died in that accident back in June 1978.  I also thank God many times for all of the caring nurses, doctors, physical and occupational therapists, pastors, friends and family that God put in my life at just the right time to help get me through, and enable me to be able to serve myself.

Every day is a gift.

What better thing could I do each day out of thanksgiving to God for the life and healing He gave me to invest each day to share this life and healing with those who cross my path.  

People sometimes ask me “How do you have the energy to do all that you do?”
My simple answer is that God enables me to do it, and I really do enjoy serving others with the skills, compassion, and problem solving gifts that I’ve been given.  I also really enjoy working with all of the great people at Hey Clinic and over at Duke Raleigh Hospital and WakeMed Hospital.  It is a blessing to come to work and serve with such great people each day, to use my hands and mind to help others, and to see the miracle of healing and relief each day.

This evening on evening rounds was no exception:  I saw all of my patients up on the ortho floor including my 2 current physician patients who had spine surgery this week.  The pediatrician that I did 3 level instrumentation and fusion and decompression this morning told me that he felt just great, with the pain that he was suffering with in both legs completely gone.  He was quite ecstatic, ready to go back and serve as pediatrician at age 72! I hope I can continue to serve as a surgeon into my 70’s or possibly even beyond as my mentor Dr. John Hall did with excellence at Harvard Medical School’s Boston Children’s Hospital Orthopaedic Service!

I then saw the 22 yo man who I performed a revision laminectomy and discectomy on this afternoon, also extremely thankful with his leg pain completely gone, ready to go home and be better father for his 2 small kids and better husband for his young wife.  I then saw the gentleman from Monday who had 4 surgeries elsewhere, but could not walk very well.  I did complex decompression fusion for him, and now he is going home tomorrow making very good progress on his walking and pain.  My doctor patient from Detroit, who had the big kyphosis surgery yesterday is doing well, and said “I wish I could do the kind of surgeries you do... It must be quite rewarding.”  -- an interesting comment!  I must say that it really is quite rewarding, although it can be stressful at times as well.

No matter who you are, or where you are at in life, your life is precious, and each day is a gift.  A gift to be shared with others.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

72 yo practicing pediatrician fixed this morning w spondylolisthesis and stenosis

Our 48 yo physician from Michigan is doing very well after kyphosis surgery yesterday.
Today we helped this very active practicing pediatrician who had woesening quality of life w L45 spondylolisthesis and stenosis.

His surgery went great today w L3-5 decompression and fusion w instrumentation.
Surgical time: 2 hour 15 min.
EBL: 550.
Complic: none

This is our third physician/dentist over this past week.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com

48 yo physician from Michigan w over 80 degree painful kyphosis fixed today

Has had severe progressive low back pain w hyperlordosis compensating for kyphosis above. I have had other patients, including woman from Chicago who had severe neck pain fixed by correcting the thoracic kyphosis, allowing the neck to go back to a more normal posture.

Surgery today: T3-L2 instrumentation and fusion, 4 posterior Smith Peterson osteotomies.
Surgical time: 3 hour 15 min.
EBL: 900
Blood transfused: none.
Complications: none.
Correction: excellent.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Cinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery
http://www.heyclinic.com