Mildred from Naples FL w scoliosis, x-stops fixed today

Mildred had a 52 degree Thoracolumbar degenerative and idiopathic scoliosis. She was treated down in Florida w 2 level X-Stops.

We fixed her today T5-iliac wing w L5S1 TLIF, osteotomies, laminectomies.

You could really see the severe nerve pinch on the R side which I fixed by thorough "roti-rooter" and distraction of those foramen. That is where the instrumentation and fusion really helps.
Surgical time: 4 hours 35 minutes.
Correction: excellent w 19 degree curve and excellent lordosis.
Complications: none.

Charlotte spends the day with us in surgery

This morning we helped Magnolia who had a severe lumbar spinal stenosis with L45 spondylolisthesis.
Her surgery went well.
Today we had Charlotte with us in surgery — an NC State Honors student interested in going into medicine (Pre-Med).
Charlotte is doing a one month internship @ Hey Clinic, and is doing a great job in clinic, and with the clinical research / literature search projects she has been given.
Here we are at the very end of the surgery she watched.
Great job Charlotte!

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

Gail tells her story of early flat back syndrome recovery

Recently I saw Gail back for follow-up for her flat back syndrome revision surgery.  She was doing great, but told me that she never saw her Blog entry that she wrote up several months earlier and emailed to me.  My Bad!  I get quite a few emails every day, and do my best to handle them quickly and thoroughly, but somehow this one fell between the cracks.  

So here it is Gail --- thanks for sharing, and I apologize for the delay.  Thanks for also taking the time to share.

Dr. Lloyd Hey --- Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery

-----------------------------------------
12/18/2009

Dear  Dr. Hey, Hey Clinic staff, and Duke Raleigh Hospital,
    
    Since it's a bout midway in my first eight weeks of recovery I wanted to let you know that my recovery is proceeding exceptionally well..My initial contact with you was a request for a second opinion.  Having  had a previous surgery elsewhere, I wanted to determine if the treatment for my flat back was still surgery, what kind of surgery, and what would likely be  the outcome. In addition to  responding to your comprehensive form  I independently wrote a detailed  chronology of my long standing lumbar naturopathies .   
     
    My problems had been further exacerbated by our relocation from NY to  AZ, and finally NC over the past 7 years as my severely degenerated lumbar spine continued to deteriorate.  I had endured numerous conservative therapies from strength/conditioning, steroids, both oral and injected, nerve blocks, high radiofrequency ablations, electrical stim, and of course, oral medications for inflammation, spasm control, and pain.  I shared that both previous surgeries had improved the quality of my life as it was, but there was so more to do, and in a downward spiraling  environment .  I didn't want to hold anything back giving you the opportunity to tell me my expectations for further improvement were unrealistic.  The odds given my age, fitness level, and opioid tolerance  would make me a poor surgical candidate.  
     
     As  it happened you felt I was a good risk and we proceeded with the surgery on November 11th. I had very positive experiences at my visits to the Clinic and at the Duke Raleigh Hospital. I want to sincerely thank you, Dr. Hey, Jennifer, and Dr Watters for your superior surgical skills.  I also wish to thank Dr. Rieker from Pain Management for his efforts to manage my discomfort, the kindness of the physical and occupational therapists for their patience , and finally the many nurses whose caring and helpfulness made my stay productive and comfortable.  Through all of your efforts I am now already enjoying a more pain free existence.
     
    I would like to extend my sincere best wishes to you all for a wonderful holiday .  
     
    Warmest Regards,
     
    Gail

Olivia and her family!

We had a really good and busy week at Hey Clinic.
Last weekend, I got a chance to see my folks and sister and her family up in Pennsylvania, and also see many old friends at my high school reunion up in Long Island - New York.    Best part was seeing my old friend Colin, who has really helped fix up my home town as the town attorney.  

Well this week we did 8 surgeries – 2 cervical and 6 thoracolumbar.
One was a very complex osteotomy revision case, for a young lady with complex congenital scoliosis and history of anterior fusion with terrible degeneration, collapse and apparent 1 inch leg length descrepency.  I did a asymmetric TLIF combined with osteotomies and laminectomies and extension instrumentationa and fusion around her anterior Kineda instrumentation.

She stood up perfectly straight after surgery and walked to the bathroom on her own the day after surgery.
She went home from surgery after 2 nights doing great. Appreciate the help from my SRS colleagues including Sig Berven and Chris Shaffrey who helped out reviewing her films.  Big help.

We had a very interesting clinic today, starting off with Janelle, who is 5 year 10 month old with a 100 degree progressive Early Onset Scoliosis (EOS).  I met with Janelle and her parents to go over their treatment options, after also getting great input from several SRS members around the country.  Thanks so much to Dr. John Emans, Behrooz Akbarnia, Richard McCarthy, Rick Schwend, Jack Flynn who all helped in this complex case.   Many thanks also from our Hey Clinic staff and our summer awesome intern Charlotte, who did a great job on the literature review!  I was able to assemble a great Powerpoint presentation with the various references and feedback received, combined with description of surgical options which included anterior instrumentation and fusion, posterior osteotomy and fusion, growing rod, and Shilla procedure.

Got a nice hug from our 7 yo patient Olivia who we are treating in a brace for juvenile scoliosis.  She really seems to like coming to Hey Clinic, and insisted on this photo today with her mom, and Jenny my PA and I --- she wants to be on our “Wall of Fame” out in our Guest Room where people hang out when they first arrive at Hey Clinic.  She is sporting her new Hey Clinic T-Shirt.  She gave me a basketball that she drew for me, with her name on it.  Last visit she sang us a song a did a dance!  Never a dull moment.

Next photo shows me today with one of my 26 yo patients with severe kyphoscoliosis who is actually doing great without surgery!

We also saw Bonnie and her mom for follow-up.  I did Bonnie’s scoliosis surgery when she was in her 40’s and she’s doing and lookin’ great now several years later.  Her mom is now just 3 months out from surgery and doing great.  I remember that she cried big time when I first suggested surgery.  It was a tough decision, but her quality of life was really getting bad and she had a bad collapsing degenerative scoliosis with a lot of radiculopathy / leg pain and back pain.  What a joy to see the mother-daughter combo smiling together, standing up straight!

We saw one of our college-age adolescent scoliosis patients back from Georgia who is premed.  She is looking great!  Back to school soon, and someday to be a doctor.  Perhaps she’ll join our internship program!

Watched BostonMed with my wife this week.  Enjoy this show as it shows the hospitals I trained in for internship, residency, chief residency, etc:  Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Mass General Hospital (MGH).  Usually don’t watch TV, but the aerial shots of Boston are beautiful, and the patient-doctor-nurse stories are quite good and real.  When you see the heartache of the surgical team after a multi-trauma child dies, or the joy of the patient and family after a successful cardiac transplant in a teenager, or successful brain surgery tumor removal in a young dad --- you just realize how precious life is, and what a difference caring people can make in the lives of others.  I loved the window art the girl who had the cardiac transplant at Children’s made, which said something like “Life is Beautiful!”  so that everyone outside could see it.  Life indeed is Beautiful and Precious.  There was no talk of healthcare reform, just precious individuals finding life and healing and hope.


More later.  Gotta get stuff off grill for dinner.
Have a great weekend!

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

19 yo Rachel straightened up!

Rachel was having quite a bit of pain w her adolescent idiopathic
scoliosis.
We got her very straight today.
I was doing my postoperative check on her just now and she reminded me
to please do her blog!

I had to borrow her xray back and run downstairs to shoot the picture
on my iPhone!!!

I think she will enjoy her improved posture.

Dr. Lloyd Hey
Hey Clinic