jonbrion
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Better correction after bar removal?
I'm planing to do the PC Nuss surgery redo in a few months with Dr. Schaar.
I've been reading a lot of journals in the forum and many people just after the surgery are happy about it but they feel it's their chest is still not
that great (they have rib flaring, asymmetry...), but hope this will get corrected when the bar gets removed in a couple of years.
When I had the Ravitch done 5 years ago the post-op was extremely hard. Not just for the pain (which there was a lot of it) but for the psychological
effects. There was a correction (before that I had a very freakish pectus), but my chest was nowhere near a normal one. I thought I would get a much
bigger correction and that depressed me during months. Right now my chest looks like the one of many people in this forum BEFORE THEIR FIRST
surgery.
What I'm trying to say is this: Going through all these troubles again for a second time is a big deal for me (and a big economic effort) and it would
be devastating to wake up in Berlin and seeing that my chest isn't still perfect (or normal). So I don't want to get false hopes. That's why I'm
asking you this to the ONES WITH THE BAR ALREADY REMOVED:
- Just after the Nuss surgery, were you happy with your chest? What kind of problems or imperfections did you had at that moment (rib flaring, some
kind of protusion on one side, asymmetry...) ?
- After the bar removal, did these imperfections got solved? Do you have now a perfect chest?
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jonbrion
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Also, if you have pictures post-op and then post-bar removal it would be great to see them.
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Randy
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Sorry, I still have my 2 bars installed.
well, just taking one day at a time and Praying our Great Country "Gets Back On It's Feet"
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Pectus Dude
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Good one, Randy!
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Random_Guy1
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I think you will be good with Schaar, like everyone else.
From other people's journals/experience he fixes pretty much everything - from mild to very severe upper and assymetrical.
About the rib flaring, Schaar is one of the few surgeons who tries to fix them, sometimes with success and sometimes without, so he is the best
surgeon to choose if you want to get rid of your flaring ribs.
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jonbrion
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I'm aware that Dr. Schaar is the best (also very nice via email, can't think of another surgeon who would spend so much effort in answering you) but I
really want to know if the whole "we'll fix you the rest on the bar removal" is wishful thinking or you see actual improvements. That's why first hand
experiences would be great.
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Indentured
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Only just had the bar put in, but Schaar did fix my flared ribs. They were beautiful and straight - for about a week. Then the left one started
popping out again. Now it's starting to collapse down just above the flare, which makes everything look worse. The right is still good though. He did
say that things would change over the next couple years, but I'm hoping at least my right side stays the way it is.
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jonbrion
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Any more personal experiences? The whole "popping out again" looks very scary.
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Pectus Dude
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My ribs pop like Mary Poppins.
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edgey
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I had a Ravitch in 2005 and a Nuss in 2007. There are some before/after pics here:
http://www.pectusinfo.com/board/viewthread.php?tid=7270
A lot more before after pics here:
http://www.pectusinfo.com/board/viewthread.php?tid=3893
My Ravitch recovery was fairly easy and the Nuss a bit worse, but not too bad. There was a huge improvement with the Nuss over the dissapointing
Ravitch results.
I get my Nuss bars removed in a couple of weeks so I'll post some more FINAL results pics then.
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Pectus Dude
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So excited for you, Edgey! Start a new thread. I'm so happy for you.
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itapol
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There is no such thing as perfection in the world of PE patients, but Schaar will do the best he can to get you close. Remember how much work is
invovled into trying to restructure bone and cartilidge, only so much can be done at one time. This is why Dr. Schaar is able to fix more at bar
removal. When the bars are in they are pushing your ribs down and in creating the flare so I believe Dr. Schaar has a different technique were it
doesnt always flare as much. I will be there soon also so I will ask him and post for you or you could just email him yourself, he will be very happy
to discuss any issue with you. He is a great man! gd luck
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PE37
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Indentured - I had exactly the same after the bar was put in. Both lower ribs popped out a bit but one was much more than the other - and the ribs
above it sank - so it all looked a bit weird.
I was hopeful that Schaar could sort this at bar removal but didn't expect much. But amazingly he can, and he did depress the lower rib and raise the
ribs above it. I still can't quite believe how he did this (actually I know how they do it but it's probably best not to know!) so it is very possible
- although it does hurt!
I'm only 3 weeks post op though, so time will tell, although it's promising so far. I do have to wear the corset for 8 weeks post op to try and ensure
everythign stays in the right place, which is a bit of a pain but a small price to pay if it works.
I would like to say that I'm never going to be 'perfect'. My lower torso is just deeper than my chest so the lower ribs are always going to look like
they stick out a little. But I'm delighted to have had the op. I think I only needed to get over a threshold of 80% improvement (or something like
that) for me to be happy to swim, beach and be merry. What you can pretty much guarantee with a good Nuss surgeon is that the dent will be gone.
I do worry about people who hope and expect for a 'perfect' chest as I think that is only going to happen in a small minority of cases. I think you
should only really have the op if you think you can still live with some imperfection. You might get a 'perfect' chest but the chances are it won't be
100% Brad Pittesque.
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Zak
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Same here about left rib flare. It was fixed, and than it poped while I was still in hospital, and the right one stays flat. But I think that is
corectable, whit lots of proper exercise. Maybe you cant FIX it, but you can cover it with side, and generally biger abs. I'm working on that right
now, about 2-3 months in gym, and I think there is some improvement. I also heard that Schaar can fix all the "remainings" on bar removal, (I really
don't see how), but I will do my best to correct it myself. After all its all conected with just a freaking catliage, I'm gonna smash it myself if I
had to =)
Nussed on July the 13th 2009
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Pectus Dude
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Quote: Originally posted by PE37  | | I think you should only really have the op if you think you can still live with some imperfection. You might get a 'perfect' chest but the chances are
it won't be 100% Brad Pittesque. |
Oops. Too late now!
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Adagio
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@PE37
"I still can't quite believe how he did this (actually I know how they do it but it's probably best not to know!) so it is very possible - although it
does hurt!"
I have wondered about this for a while and I'd really like to know. I think I can take it, no matter how grizzly.
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Indentured
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| Quote: Originally posted by PE37 | Indentured - I had exactly the same after the bar was put in. Both lower ribs popped out a bit but one was much more than the other - and the ribs
above it sank - so it all looked a bit weird.
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That's EXACTLY what I have. I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I was so upset, thinking that my ribs were collapsing again and that it was all for
nothing. But Schaar says that so long as the sternum is still in place, the ribs can be fixed again at bar removal. (I wonder why the left side always
pops out...)
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PE37
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PD - your chest will improve because not only will Schaar tackle the issues on bar removal, but your continued work outs will help as well. So that's
the physical side getting better. And I know you can improve the psycological side as well. My advice is get out to the pool etc as much as possible
and (within the realms of the law!) have a good look at all the 'normal' people out there. I think you'll start to notice that nearly everyone is more
than imperfect, and I think you'll see a surprising amount of people with PE as well who seemingly just don't care. I have been amazed in my 3 years
of pool going activity to realise how many people have this thing - some of which are worse than mine was - and they get out there and don't care. And
I don't notice anyone else paying any attention to them, apart from me!
Adagio - I was told by one of the doctors who was at my operation that they 'notch' the ribs (not sure how) and then they use a special tool that
presses down on the lower rib and pulls up the upper ribs at the same time. He said they have to apply a great deal of force and that sometimes this
can crack the ribs - which I'm sure is what happened in my case judging by the pain. You then need to keep the pressure on them so that they heal in
the right position - hence the corset bandage for 8 weeks post op. As I said, it's a bit medieval sounding, but so far it's worked on me - and others
I believe.
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Zak
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| Quote: Originally posted by PE37 |
I was told by one of the doctors who was at my operation that they 'notch' the ribs (not sure how) and then they use a special tool that presses down
on the lower rib and pulls up the upper ribs at the same time. He said they have to apply a great deal of force and that sometimes this can crack the
ribs - which I'm sure is what happened in my case judging by the pain. |
I didn't know that! But I was sure that my right ribs were broken, I can even tell the exact place. I really don't get it why the left side popped in
so many cases. And my left ribs don't hurt at all, but the right ones, that seem to be fixed and cracked, are sore every single morning when I get up.
I guess both side were broken, but the left popped out and healed like it was before, and that's why there is no pain, and right side healed
inproperly (but cosmeticaly exeptable), and that's why its still sore 8 months post+op. Don+t know....
Nussed on July the 13th 2009
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