Cervical Hardware Removal???

Has there been any discussion in the field of taking out cervical appliance post op...years down the road? It's been since '99 that I had a ACDE with fusion and implant. I WANT THIS THING OUT!!! It was screwed in crooked and the screws are too long. If you could see my AP Cervical Xrays.

Let me know anything you hear on removing cervical hardware and how it can or will be done.
Thanks
Ladywolf

[thofer]

I'm no expert but earlier today I was reading an article online that definitely stated that it is dangerous and risky to remove cervical hardware once it has fused. Due to how long you have had it I would say it is fused by now. Are the screws scraping your esophogus? I read about that and it sounds scary. If your doctor didn't indicate to you that they thought it should be removed or redone post op then I would assume that everything was fine. You may feel better if you talk to a surgeon about it anyway.

[ladywolf63]

Oh, I'm fuse alright. LOL...and have a bit of scar tissue to boot. I had an Anterior Cervical Discetomy..which means they go in the front. Lovely scar on my throat. ;)...so that puts the screws being screwed in from the front. My screws stick out the back of the vertebrea or posteriorly. So, no..i dont' suffer, thank the Orishas for that with problems of the esophagus.

They are in the Houston,Tx area taking out cervial appliances. I'm still waiting on a consult with a doc to see what he has to say.

Yes, your right, the time frame is a factor..but maybe there's hope. Support stem cell reserach!!!

[Tony_tx2009]

Dr. John T. Ledlie
East Texas Medical Center
Tyler, Texas
He removed my hardware from C2-C6 and fused C6-C7. He replaced it with new hardware and gave me better range of motion. I highly recommend him as a neurosurgeon. He was the only one that would fix my neck right.