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292728 tn?1263237133

scoliosis harrington rod failure

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
31 Responses
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Avatar universal
I had scoliosis surgery in 1980 at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, I was 14...I had a 54 degree angle and pivoting on top and bottom...I wasn't in pain then, my one hip stuck out and the other inverted and I had a muscle hump on the one side of my back. I was supposed to be in for 2 months but wanted out, kids screamed all night, no buzzer or phone in room...they put me in a private room and I was unable to get out of bed. When I got my blood transfusions the drip kept stopping and they backed it up while it was connected to me, felt like they were ripping my veins out. Some nurse kept injecting me with something that gave me severe tremors, the physio guy saw and I finally got it stopped! I rushed everything, got a brace, learned how to walk 2 inches taller, I still have 5 inches of curvature, and I got to go home in 2 1/2 weeks....since then I have developed autoimmune diseases, eradicated one, but I have dislocation and deformity, they have treated me for RA but it doesn't show up in my blood....I am bent over now, in pain daily, fibro too, developed an allergy to base metal (found out from glasses). I think I may have metal toxicity. It really is sick that they used our deformity to do this and then realize oops, that one doesn't work, but no compensation for the kids who grew up to suffer. They told me by 30, in a wheelchair. By 40, dead because my back would push on my heart and give me a heart attack. My Mom was afraid to sign in case I woke up paralyzed...people who took thalidomide got a settlement. I wonder how many of us there are. How many committed suicide. How many died from toxicity and the medical world didn't care....Hope they aren't doing this to kids anymore.
  
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Avatar universal
In correction sewing vs seeung
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Avatar universal
My heart goes out to all of you. I am going through the same thing

Had my first surgery due to 3 S curves in my back discovered in 2010 and had rods put down my entire back. WaS told they wouldn't break and I could and would enjoy a full life and be able to do all the things I love like horseback riding, fly fishing, seeing for hours on end.
Well here we are a mere 5 yrs later and looking at a third surgery because the rods have broken for a second time.
I need to find an attorney to help me,I am just not sure how to go about finding one who will take this on in the Denver areà. I am going to take this as far as I can, I have no sort of normal life, and the pain is out of control.
If I find someone to hell me I will pass along everything I learn to my fellow Harrington Rod malfunction patients.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I am 27 years of age. My first operation was in 2009 when i was 20. Doc told me the same thing, they will never break, and i will enjoy a normal life, bar a few minor activities. It is now 2016, i am going for another operation in 2 weeks time, as both the harrington rods in my spine have broken again. This will now be my 3rd "corrective" or "salvage" operation. I am in all honesty tired from all these operations, and tired of all the people always asking me what happened and feeling sorry for me. If you figure out how to sue the manufacturer, please tell me, because i would like to do the same here in South Africa.
Avatar universal
I am a fifty three year old school teacher. I have the same problems surgery in 81, broken rods, pain pills, pain management, been to specialists and they are rude. One told me to see a psychiatrist when I said I don't know what to do.( Dr. William P. Harris in Norman Oklahoma.) All say it is too dangerous.  I had the dye run through me several years ago and The nerves were so pinched off the dye stopped running like it hit a dead end. The surgical team gasped.  I feel sad because I don't think anyone except those of us that have been through it feel. Life is difficult because doing anything is difficult. I always say I don't remember what it is like to feel normal and pain free and not stiff. Please contact me at ***@**** if anyone will take on this case. I acannot believe no one is held responsible. Jane Thomas/OKC
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15802135 tn?1443114462
Hey all.. I have the Same issue here, I had the Harrington rods placed in my back when I was 19 in 1984, I have looked into it and I found the rods that were put in me are a sister company to Johnson and Johnson products. I am now 50, worked my whole life up to 2005 and have been disabled now for over 10 years. I was told that as far as a lawsuit I am S.O.L, The manufacturer had been sued many years ago and is no longer responsible because they settle in court, and of course I missed the boat by a few years to be compensated..I was told the limit of a medical malpractice or manufacturer defective product is only 7 or 8 years. I have been in touch with SEVERAL others Attorneys and they all say the same thing "The case is to expensive to reopen and to be tried again " I also found out the the people that did win in the previous case got a VERY  little recovery, I would love to have someone take on this case again, there are probably tens of thousands of others just like us. If anyone has any info on an upcoming case I would love to be involved, These broken rods have cost me everything. My job my business my home and vehicles, And you know what I AM NOW PISSED OFF ALSO!!! Here is my contact info, I would love to talk with others with the same issue. We should ALL band together and try and make something happen..
Chris B.  partyentime at yahoooo *******
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been trying to get representation for my issues as well it took me yelling at my family doctor to get her to understand I needed a specialist. If you hear of any lawyer representing people with Harrington rods let me know please.
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
Jackee, you need to pay attention to the dates here at MedHelp. This was once a thriving community, but has fallen out of popularity of late. We believe that is due to too many people using phones with tiny screens to access the internet (especially while they are driving -- good thing I don't travel with a shotgun!)

If you click Mike's name, you'll see a popup with another link to his profile, and you can see that he posted here once in 2011, probably did not get a response, and moved on.

However, your new thread saying "Where is our Help?" is the best way to get your message across and may get someone's attention.

However, do as I recommended in that thread.

While you're here, read about all the people with failed back syndrome. They're all out there somewhere (if they haven't blown their brains out by now.)

Sorry this has become such a violent post -- perhaps I've been watching too much TV of late. (I just watched Robert Mitchum blast those Chinese communists out of the sky flying an F-86 fighter in the Korean war.)

Best wishes.
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Avatar universal
I have been searching for help, and compensation myself. I can truly relate to your testimony. I have the old Harrington Rod myself, my surgery was in 1979. I have to wear Depends, I now have degenerate disk disease that has spread to my neck. I was told my spine is not stable enough to get another surgery, and if they do surgery on my neck my head will be off set to the Right. I ask who wants to walk around with their head to the right of their shoulders instead of the middle. My Pain is so bad that I am now a Pain Management patient. If anyone finds help for us please let me know. Like you said, everyone can get paid for everything else what about us. I'm disabled, and can't stand, walk, or sit for long lengths of time and that includes riding in a vehicle. When I lay down or sit down, and get up I can't straighten up and the pain is so bad I be in tears. Are there no Attorneys out there that will fight for us? Is there some way we can give our email addresses, or information to each other Incase someone finds help we can inform others.
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Avatar universal
I had scoliosis an S curve. Harrington Rod in 1981 at 12yrs old. Removed in 1984 because of very bad back pain and painful with movements til the ambulance had to take me to ER. I was 15. Doctors asked me can I bare with the pain or did I want the rods to be removed. I bared with it until they set a removal date. They left in the Clips where the fusion was. But around age 26 my last x-ray showed no clips and when I asked about It the dr. said don't worry about it and gave me all my film and told me there's nothing else he can do.  I was about 28 when I found out by a physician that no longer worked there remembered my case and told the rod broke. Weather or not that was the case I'm still in pain. My last MRI on my back in 2011 I was told I have metal clips floating in lower back. My spine is curving under the fusion some days I can't stand up straight, hip, leg and knee pain I can feel my hip shifting and the right leg getting more shorter than the left.. I try to stretch and exercise only to not be able to get out of bed the next morning. And no pain meds helps after a while and I refuse to be an addict or addicted to false relief because after 3 straight days of taking meds around the clock and no relief is false. And yes I agree there should be a lawsuit with the faulty Harrington Rod and its Hardware.
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Avatar universal
Did you succeed in finding help from a lawyer? I am very interested, I too have had many problems with the harrington rod being the cause. I will offer my help if you are still trying. Please email me at ***@****. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
I also had the Harrington rod and fusions done for scoliosis in the early 1970's.   I know at the time this was the best treatment for severe scoliosis, but it's sad to know so many of us suffer now. I know now they use the titanium rod that allows for the natural lordosis of the spine. I hope future generations don't have the same complications we have had. What angers me is we had no idea that we would have problems from this years, decades later. It certainly is not something you knew you needed to plan your life around. Being told you could live a normal life, unaware of what the complications were for the future.
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Avatar universal
I've been searching the web, looking for information regarding Harrington rod removal, and I stumbled upon this site. It's pretty interesting to find so many who share a common thread for chronic pain except that it also breaks my heart. I had two Harrington rods installed in 1987, and I felt fortunate that I had minimal setbacks until 2001, when my left leg and foot went numb. In 2010, I fell down the stairs due to loss of coordination from muscle atrophy, and I was casted for a sprain and charcot arthropathy in my foot. I've had complications with two different AFO's (orthotics braces) because of the neuropathy blocking any pain sensations from blistering caused by the brace. All too often, I'm in urgent care with ulcers and deep infections. In 2013, I had a sudden onset of radiating pain down my leg that  grows in strength and then diminishes every 30 to 60 seconds. I still have this pain over a year later, but thank God, it's not as severe as it was. I take Gabapentin and way too much Advil for the leg pain and increasing back and hip pain. I'm frustrated by the (seemingly) apathetic response I've had from most of the specialists I've seen. It seems like dead end after dead end as the direction I get steered is typically pain management. As I'm really not looking for reasons to have surgery, I really didn't jump headlong for the idea of having a spinal neurotransmitter installed in my abdomen for the pain. I really believe that we (Harrington rod recipients) belong to a class of patients over which an overwhelming majority of doctors have nothing to offer but a big question mark.  
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Avatar universal
MD - I had Harrington Rods put into my back in 1979 when my back was broken in a car wreck. After being in a body cast for almost 6 months WHEN I was only 18 years old (that was fun) I was then in a brace for another 3 months (I actually healed quickly - they thought I would be in the body cast for 9 to 12 months) anyway---not much problem once the brace & cast were done ... until I was 39. Out of nowhere, I started to have back pain, hip pain, down into my legs. I could barely walk at times - and if I laid on the left side - it was as painful as trying to walk. After a couple of months of PT, pain meds, anti-inflammatory meds - the general practitioner told me I had fibromyalgia (No xrays had been taken of my back and they did know about my surgery) Fibro was VERY new back then. Well one Saturday my hubby comes in and I am mopping the floor, crying. He takes me to a urgent care - they take xrays and the dr on duty was shocked - the rods looked like a bunch of pick up sticks - scattered in my back area. The bolts that connected the rods are up around my high back/neck area and the rods had dropped about 3 to 5 inches. The GP called me on Monday and told me to not work until I got into see a orthopedic surgeon ... which was about 3 weeks away ... when he sees me ... he tells me if they were to do surgery - I would run a risk of being paralyzed ... basically his summarization was to exercise, not gain weight and learn to live with the rods.

The worst thing about all of this?
Like you - I feel like the medical field does  not understand how darn painful this is! In fact, until I found others on the Internet with the same problems also talking about the pain - I thought "I" was overexagerating!

Now, I am 53. For the past 13 years - I've been in and out of pain management clinics - I went to another 2 doctors to get their opinion on the broken rods and they also acted as though I had a bee sting :(
I was never mad.
I've just accepted this.
I never thought about compensation ...
I never thought about lawsuits...
But now ... I am mad.
I would not want to sue the surgeon who did my surgery ...
I like him (he actually did a knee surgery for me some years ago)
and I saw him about the rods as well ...
I do not think it is the surgeons fault ... but I do think it is the manufactors fault and whomevers job it is to make sure that products like the Harrington Rods do not stay on the market when they are presenting problems. Apparently, I am not the first person to have this problem!

You are right - we should be compensated.
So ... what do we do from here?

Anyone else had problems with their rods coming loose, breaking, slipping?
I'm not sure where to begin ...
I've only felt this way the past month --
(my pain is growing worse and I actually had to buy a cane
to assist me in walking a few weeks ago)
I guess my tolerance has had it :(

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MD - I had Harrington Rods put into my back in 1979 when my back was broken in a car wreck. After being in a body cast for almost 6 months WHEN I was only 18 years old (that was fun) I was then in a brace for another 3 months (I actually healed quickly - they thought I would be in the body cast for 9 to 12 months) anyway---not much problem once the brace & cast were done ... until I was 39. Out of nowhere, I started to have back pain, hip pain, down into my legs. I could barely walk at times - and if I laid on the left side - it was as painful as trying to walk. After a couple of months of PT, pain meds, anti-inflammatory meds - the general practitioner told me I had fibromyalgia (No xrays had been taken of my back and they did know about my surgery) Fibro was VERY new back then. Well one Saturday my hubby comes in and I am mopping the floor, crying. He takes me to a urgent care - they take xrays and the dr on duty was shocked - the rods looked like a bunch of pick up sticks - scattered in my back area. The bolts that connected the rods are up around my high back/neck area and the rods had dropped about 3 to 5 inches. The GP called me on Monday and told me to not work until I got into see a orthopedic surgeon ... which was about 3 weeks away ... when he sees me ... he tells me if they were to do surgery - I would run a risk of being paralyzed ... basically his summarization was to exercise, not gain weight and learn to live with the rods.

The worst thing about all of this?
Like you - I feel like the medical field does  not understand how darn painful this is! In fact, until I found others on the Internet with the same problems also talking about the pain - I thought "I" was overexagerating!

Now, I am 53. For the past 13 years - I've been in and out of pain management clinics - I went to another 2 doctors to get their opinion on the broken rods and they also acted as though I had a bee sting :(
I was never mad.
I've just accepted this.
I never thought about compensation ...
I never thought about lawsuits...
But now ... I am mad.
I would not want to sue the surgeon who did my surgery ...
I like him (he actually did a knee surgery for me some years ago)
and I saw him about the rods as well ...
I do not think it is the surgeons fault ... but I do think it is the manufactors fault and whomevers job it is to make sure that products like the Harrington Rods do not stay on the market when they are presenting problems. Apparently, I am not the first person to have this problem!

You are right - we should be compensated.
So ... what do we do from here?

Anyone else had problems with their rods coming loose, breaking, slipping?
I'm not sure where to begin ...
I've only felt this way the past month --
(my pain is growing worse and I actually had to buy a cane
to assist me in walking a few weeks ago)
I guess my tolerance has had it :(

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I WAS CUT OPEN AND STRAITENED AND WORE A CAST AFTER AT 12 FOR 7 MONTHS AND I STAYED N THU HOSPITAL A MONTH I THINK @TEXAS CHILDREN HOUSTON TEXAS the hospital lovely had a good experience there cuz it waz a whole ward with scoliosis patients I felt like I was on a ward at a mental institute.  The only bad experience to me was wearing the cast after surgery in 7th an 8th grade while body developing and I would not ever wear a bikini and it was hard to bathe and when I wet thu cast it smwelled sour it iched I had to use a fly swater to scratch and something to run through me n thu cast to bathe I like the curves when I came out of it though I dont like I never had that arch like other women and I have never been able to touch my toes im 43 now im in pain from my legs getting numb, to my hip hurting , my back seems as thought its braking when I sit sometimes it pops in the middle other than all that sometime I just be walking and ill feel a pain an just fall, dont no why I cant feel my right legs a lot I cant stand a long time after I walk like threw thu mall my whole right leg would just hurt nuthing relieve s it but sitting for a while until it stop I cant walk thew the park with hubby, when I laugh I urinate sometimes I have had 4 children all over 16-25 the rod isnt broke everytime I get xrays they show up and the doctor always complement the good work the dr. Did on my back. I put a tattoo over the scar get tired of people asking what happened when I wear a tshirt or tank very few people know anything about scoliosis
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I WAS CUT OPEN AND STRAITENED AND WORE A CAST AFTER AT 12 FOR 7 MONTHS AND I STAYED N THU HOSPITAL A MONTH I THINK @TEXAS CHILDREN HOUSTON TEXAS the hospital lovely had a good experience there cuz it waz a whole ward with scoliosis patients I felt like I was on a ward at a mental institute.  The only bad experience to me was wearing the cast after surgery in 7th an 8th grade while body developing and I would not ever wear a bikini and it was hard to bathe and when I wet thu cast it smwelled sour it iched I had to use a fly swater to scratch and something to run through me n thu cast to bathe I like the curves when I came out of it though I dont like I never had that arch like other women and I have never been able to touch my toes im 43 now im in pain from my legs getting numb, to my hip hurting , my back seems as thought its braking when I sit sometimes it pops in the middle other than all that sometime I just be walking and ill feel a pain an just fall, dont no why I cant feel my right legs a lot I cant stand a long time after I walk like threw thu mall my whole right leg would just hurt nuthing relieve s it but sitting for a while until it stop I cant walk thew the park with hubby, when I laugh I urinate sometimes I have had 4 children all over 16-25 the rod isnt broke everytime I get xrays they show up and the doctor always complement the good work the dr. Did on my back. I put a tattoo over the scar get tired of people asking what happened when I wear a tshirt or tank very few people know anything about scoliosis
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been through the same thing ...( Rods in ...1985............broken one's out in 2005 )  There has got to be some comp. for this. I am going to work on this thr rest of my life .  I will not let up till I find away to help all of us that I find on here .
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Avatar universal
Im sorry to tell you this.... there are not working for you anymore , I got both of mine out in 2005....one was broke and the other  had 6 hooks on it..
The next surgery is not as bad as the first.....Two days ...in and out.  Just find the right surgant that knows what there doing.  (  Harrington rods  ).
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1 Comments
I had Harrington rods put in in 1980, second surgery in 88 due to broken rods. Have 2 autoimmune diseases and other “mysterious” issues.  Did you find your pains went away once you had rods removed?
Avatar universal
MAN ..... I 'm right with you  ..   we are a small group... (  rods in 1985.. broken rod out 2005 )  somethining has to go right.  i just got a bad  report about my left foot and leg tonight .  pay attencion to me ....after tonight ..I'm not giving up the fight for all of us.
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Avatar universal
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...
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Avatar universal
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!
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Avatar universal
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.  
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Avatar universal
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.
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Avatar universal
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.
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