55 Yo woman w severe idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis fixes today

T5-iliac wing instrumentation and fusion w TLIF, osteotomies
Surgical time: 5 hrs 15 min
Ebl: 1600 cc
She did well, and got good correction.
We tend to get better and corrections when the curves are fixed earlier in life. Bone quality I also better and recovery also easier.

For this young lady, her quality of life got so bad, she really had to get it fixed.

We have a new PA!

15 Yo young lady with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and Scheuermann's kyphosis fixed this am

T5-L3 instrumentation and fusion with osteotomies.
Ebl: 650 cc
Blood transfused: none.
Surgical time: 3 hrs 10 minutes.
Complications: none.
Correction: excellent

Captain Straight strikes again!

This 12 Yo boy had a brain tumor that was removed.

He developed this left thoracic scoliosis which rapidly progressed.

His surgery went great.
Ebl 175 cc.
Complications: none
Correction: excellent.

Mom was real happy!!
No Icu Postop

Captain Crooked is now Captain Straight!

Breanna's surgery went great.
T4-L3 instrumentation and fusion
Surgical time: 3 hrs.
Complications: none.

She is awake and doing well and will be up in private room with her family this afternoon here at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Dr. Lloyd Hey

Captain "Crook" the bear and the energy drink from Breanna my 14 Yo adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery guest for this am

I saw Breanna and her family in Preop this am. She has a large double curve we are fixing today. She introduced me to her Duke Raleigh Hospital bear she named "captain crook", for her crooked spine. Breanna also gave me a 5 hour energy drink so I could remain focused during surgery without being jittery w coffee!! no joke!

Nurse Kelly recommended not drinking this thing right now, and I agreed. Energy is not usually a problem after 1 hour of exercise each morning. I am revved up and good to go!

14 Yo Julia gets her kyphosis straightened up this morning

Julia had a 73 degree Scheuermann's kyphosis of her thoracic spine. Her surgery went great this morning.
Surgical time: 3 hrs 10 min.
Ebl: 150 cc.
Blood transfused: none.
Complications: none.
Fusion levels: T2-L1.

Snow and ice storm on the way!!!
May have to sleep here tonight.
Patients for tomorrow are already here staying at hotel tonight.

Dr. Hey

Can you ride a camel, travel the world, sing in an opera, and fall down on stage after scoliosis surgery? Emily says yes!

My PA Brittany received a nice email from Emily, one of our adolescent idiopathic scoliosis post-surgery guests, who had surgery with us a couple years ago.

She gave her permission to share her email and photos with all of you!

Hope you are all doing well.

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


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On Jan 3, 2011, at 11:36 PM, Emily  wrote:

Dr. Hey,

Yes, absolutely.  Feel free to share whatever you want; I give you full permission.

And thanks again for everything you've done.  You have no idea how much my story has meant to other people; it's truly amazing.

Emily

------ Forwarded Message
From: Emily <>
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:53:00 -0500
Subject: Pictures and a question

Hi!

You may not remember me; I had spinal fusion surgery in June 2008, and I've had a couple of questions since then, but I haven't been back to the clinic since summer of 2009.  I have one quick question, and then I thought I'd send you all a couple of pictures from what I've been doing the past couple of years.  My question is: would a far infrared sauna negatively affect me in any way (i.e. would the metal in my back react to it somehow)?  Given that the only thing I've noticed about my back is that it gets colder much more quickly, I wasn't sure if heat would affect it the same way.

I emailed back in February, I think, about some sciatic pain I was having.  Thankfully, that's gone after working with a chiropractor and therapist and lots of patience.  I'm about to go into my last semester at Illinois Wesleyan University, which is hard to believe in itself, and I have two auditions for graduate programs in vocal performance at the end of January.  Since my surgery, I've been so blessed in what I've been able to do and see.  I spent a semester abroad in Granada, Spain (photo of the Alhambra attached), and traveled all over southern Spain as well as to Morocco, Paris, and London.  I gave a joint voice recital back in April (picture attached), and I have another one coming up this spring.  I've had roles in three operas at school, including one world premiere and one in which I played a 15-year-old boy falling down all over the stage.  And it's little triumphs like that that make me eternally grateful.  There was a time when I thought I'd never be able to play such a physical part, slipping and sliding while attempting to sing, and yet I have.  I took modern dance this past semester.  It's the first dance class I'd ever taken in my life, and I loved it.  And I did learn my limitations, but I was so thrilled by how much I was actually able to do.  It's hard to believe that two and a half years ago, I was learning how to walk again, and yet I will never forget how far I've come.

Thank you so much for everything you've done for me and my family.  I couldn't be more grateful.  And please share this with Dr. Hey, if you can.

And yes, that is me on a camel. :)

Emily