scoliosis harrington rod failure

[krissee35]

Hi.
Am 41 female, in good health. Had scoliosis all my life, and had harrington rods placed in 2002. My curves were 67* by 56*, approximately, with a spiral.Now that surgery has failed and we're going to have posterior laminectomy L 4-5 fusion, Oct. 8th. I have started losing bladder sensation, and have had pain ever since the surgery in 2002. I also have a complete block at the tailbone, stenosis, and ARC.
Am just wondering and hoping I am making the correct decision about this next surgery........I swore I would never have another.
Any thoughts or comments?
Thank you.

Kris

[andys_angel07]

I had scolosis surgery in 1983. I have harrington rod placement thru T1-T12. I 've had pain ever since. Not alot of pain down spine but all in muscles and hips, legs, shoulders and neck. MRI showed spinal cord compression which was a series of injections in neck only to end with surgery.  I just recently had cervical neck surgery which involved rods and disks between C5,C6 and C7.  Now, am experiencing a burning sensation in my right shoulder and alot of stiffness in the neck.  Had problems before turning my neck now it's even more limited.  Also suffer from right short leg syndrome.  My activities are very limited.  I have problems walking, standing, sitting and stooping for any length of time.  Sitting and typing on a computer for 15 minutes leaves me with no ability to even stand up straight. Pain medicine doesn't help. Muscle relaxers doesn't help. Applying heat and cold doesn't help.  Surgery doesn't help.  I'm just wondering what does!?? I live with pain everyday of my life and have for many, many years. Does anyone have any advice? I would like to talk to someone with similar problems.

Thank you,
Donna

[amy700]

i would like to get a class action suit together. I had harrington rods put in when i was 13, now 41 and in serious pain.

[Toddyberry]

Hi there,I had a Harrington Rod put in when I was 16 back in 1977 in Canada.my back was out 37%,to this day it is still curved so hadn't even really corrected the hump on my right side.
I have been seeing a chiropractor for the past few months and do notice some tiny improvements.
The reason going to him wa I didn't want to go to my family Dr.for him to send me to a specialist and perhaps do surgery.Don't even want to go there.
But my symptons are hard to walk as my legs are so weak,my body has shifted so things are pressing on nerves which cause that along with tingling feet,legs and hands.I find it hard to stand for a while,but I am in no real pain just from the adjustment from the chiropractor as he is trying to get my body back to as normal as it could be so the addjustments can make your body ache for a brief time as it isn't used to being in that place .But I had exray's done and nothing has broken with the rod.
but I cannot owrk,I had to give up my child care as I can't lift or even take them for a walk around the block.I would like to get a class action going too,they don't realize the long term effect we will endure.

[Rosie0119]

I had harrington rods put in in 1975 in Toronto.  I am now dealing with a lot of pain especially from the waist down.  My legs, hips, feet.  My doctor also said I have fibromyalgia now.  She gave me lyrica but there's no relief.  My last x-rays show that I have no cushion whatsoever between three discs.  The pain and the tingling/burning/numbness in unbearable, not to mention the spasms that seem like someone is stabbing me.  I'm not sure what the solution is at this point.  

[Tiggger573]

I agree! I am so tired of living in pain.. I was never told the rods would break.. I was only told I would live a normal life after I had the surgery.. I had it on my 16th birthday..I have had 3 rods removed because they broke put I still have fragments floating around and I still have one rod that is severely bent but no way to have it removed..I have researched and researched and I have found hundreds of ppl like us but no lawsuits against the manufacturers of the "Harrington Rod".. WE Need help!

[rustywood69]

i have spent years looking to this . Rods in 1985......broken rods out , 2005  Just got a bad report today about my left leg . I can not bleive there has not been more about this .  I' m  very sad ........im lost for words...