Harrington rods and Syringo..

[sparks42]

Would having spinal fuson - harrington rods - pose any sort of problem if I also have SM?

[Kbudde]

I too have SM and Harrington rods (Rods placed back in 1987). The biggest issue I am having with them is not being able to see how far down my syrinx goes because the rods are in the way of my MRI's.

I have a shunt in my head for hydrocephalus and now my neurosurgeon is reccomending a sub-arachnoid shunt in my spine. The problem being that the shunt has to be placed above the rods.

Before I hop onto another operating table, I am seeing other neurosurgeons for second and third opinions. I'd LOVE to hear from others that may have this or similar issues.

[sparks42]

Before I had the spinal fusion, they mentioned they found a syrinx and rods could get in the way....but they were like "oh well......anyways.....lets give u surgery"

Now I have some frustrating symptoms from the SM including scary headaches. So I want to get an mri to check on the syrinx...it's been 3 years since my last.....which was before the surgery

Rods could get in the way eh? Interesting...

[razzle51]

what are harrington rods -

[sparks42]

Harrington rods are the rods they use for spinal fusion - straightening out a crooked spine.

[razzle51]

Oh ok thanks

[loriann262000]

Razzle,

Harrington Rods are a specific type of spinal instrumentation that was used in the past (in the U.S., they were used quite heavily in the 1960s - 1980s with scoliosis fusions). Several subsequent newer styles of instrumentation have been developed since then (with different names, such Isola rods with pedicle screws, etc. ) which were designed to try to avoid the known problems and symptoms that Harrington Rods can cause.

Sparks42,

If you find out any more about your rods, what they are made of, if they are actually Harrington Rods, and whether or not they interfere with your MRIs, I'd be really interested to hear it, since it's really frustrating to me that my stainless steel Harrington Rods blur my MRIs so that the docs can't tell how far down my spine my syrinx goes.

Thanks to all here,

loriann

[taichi]

This may have been answered by now. I just now had MRI's of my lower spine and I have the old Harrington rod and they had a machine that would filter out the rods so they could see the syrinx. Diagnoising my syrinx extending all the way down my spine.

Barbara

[Kbudde]

Do you know the name of the machine? I'd like to share it with my doctor (UofM) next time I have an appointment?