Yesterday, we did 2 scoliosis surgeries with the Hey Clinic team at Duke Raleigh Hospital.
Our first patient was Heather, a 12 yo girl, with a 67/62 degree double curve, who had a T4-L4 instrumentation and fusion. She got a new bunny stuffed animal that morning from one of the nurses, and named it “Lloyd” after her surgeon, Dr. Hey (me). I was quite flattered. I have never had anyone or anything named after me before! Quite a thrill.
Heather did great with her surgery, with almost 100 percent correction of her curve, no blood transfusion, and approximately 3 yr surgical time. She then went to PACU, and then to the large private orthopaedic suite where her parents got to stay with her. Her parents also got to see her in PACU last night.
Today she is doing great, and is walking the halls with physical therapy, with excellent posture.
They checked her height, and she is 3 inches taller than preop!
Our second surgery yesterday was a 68 yo woman with severe collapsing kyphoscoliosis and stenosis and spondylolisthesis.
I reconstructed her spine from T4-Iliac wing with 4 level lumbar laminectomy. Her surgery took about 4 and a half hours, and she stood up today, much straighter and taller, without the leg pain she had preop. Her son, who works at Hattaras Yachts cried during prayer before her surgery, and then cried for joy after her surgery was done. That is a great example of a loving son.
Today 8/21 was also a busy day. We did a complex kyphoscoliosis T11-Iliac Wing reconstruction with 5 level posterior osteotomies, and 5 level laminectomes. Surgery was approximately 4 hours, and patient did very well.
Second surgery today was a L2-L5 revision extension instrumentation and fusion for gentleman who had L45 decompression and fusion done elsewhere, and developed severe stenosis and degeneration at the 2 levels above.
In between surgeries, I saw an approximately 45 yo woman who has had 2 prior anterior cervical fusions, which have her fused from C3-C7. Now she has severe pain going down to L shoulder and side of trunk, and has to hold her head up with her hand x3 months. Her X-Rays show Grade I, almost Grade II spondylolisthesis C6 on T1 with foraminal stenosis and likelhy instability. She will have C7T1 Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with anterior plate to stabilize and decompress that level.
Today we also said “Good Bye” to Jing, our summer Duke Pre-Med Student. Jing, you did a great job, and we wish you the best of luck tonight as you move in, and this coming semester. You will be a great doctor some day. Come back to see us! Jing shadowed my 2 PA’s and I in clinic, watched lots of surgery in the operating room, but sitting comfortably in front of an HD Big Plasma Screen connected to HD Video camera over the surgical site — she could see up close and personal, and ask questions, and also be ASKED questions!!!
Dr. Hey
http://www.heyclinic.com