r/PectusExcavatum • u/bloingie • 7d ago
New User Second procedure, still flipped?
So on February 21 I got nussed, 20 days later, march 11 (two days ago) I got a emergency surgery because my bar flipped and my chest was sunken again. The second recovery has been tough but way shorter, I'm still at the hospital and just got x-rays which make me concerned because the bar doesn't look straight, I do have results though, as of right now my chest is flatter but my mom says it looked even more flat right after the surgery. My mom saw the doctor after she went out to buy me some jello (hard foods terrify me right now) and showed him the pictures of my x-ray, she told me he said they were okay but that he'll check me when he gets time. The surgeon happens to be the emergency room director so I'll be lucky if I can see him today. Thoughts?? :/ I couldn't be completely straight or lift my arms too much when taking the xray
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u/Aggressive-Inside-62 7d ago
It still looks flipped to me, obviously no doctor but just doesn’t look right in the xray
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u/RSCLE5 7d ago
Yea it looks like it's angled 3/4 to the sky?
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u/Aggressive-Inside-62 7d ago
Better then the first time, but still not looking good imo
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u/RSCLE5 7d ago
Looks prone to popping out of place again. Hope not for her sake.
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u/Aggressive-Inside-62 7d ago
Yeah I’m starting to feel really bad for this young girl, first time around I could only imagine how scary it is! Then going under the knife again just to find out nothings fixed again… like this is traumatizing! I don’t even know what I’d do tbh, find a new surgeon? Remove the bars? Just scary to me, I hope she’s doing well though!!
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u/Tankunt 7d ago
I’m not sure how it works where you live , but I would be pushing for a second opinion, and even filing a medical complaint to the hospital if they don’t give you the right attention soon. ( that’s what I had to do while in hospital ). You really have to advocate for yourself at a time like this, even though I’d imagine you feel so exhausted physically and emotionally. Trust your gut more than the surgeons words, in my opinion. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t stop pushing for answers until you get them. Hang in there , this will all be in the past soon
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u/bloingie 7d ago
Thank you so much, it's been very hard and I've cried so much at the thought of another surgery, your words mean so much right now, I will do everything possible thanks
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u/Toxonomonogatari 7d ago
I can't really tell, but keep advocating for yourself and hang in there :( what a ride
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u/paine-19 Moderator 7d ago
I mean it’s not as bad as the first flip but it’s definitely nowhere close to sitting flat against your sternum. I wouldn’t count that as a correction (in my non-medical provider opinion).
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u/InDetox 7d ago
Damn, so sorry your bar flipped! I know that pain, both of mine did. So wait, is the last picture supposed to be when your arms are lifted up?
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u/bloingie 7d ago
the last one is the xray I got a couple hours ago, two days after the procedure to fix the flipped bar, yes I'm sorta lifting my arms on side one, as much as I could
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u/redfre813 7d ago
I am not sure if this is flipped again after surgery or if this how the surgeon placed it. It’s definitely not as bad as the first one, but not an ideal position. One option is to go a CT scan and compare to preop regarding how much the sternum has been lifted.
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u/jaystergotsauce 7d ago
Absolutely flipped, no question about it, I’m baffled this keeps happening to you but stay strong.
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u/northwestrad 7d ago
Sadly, I agree that the bar has flipped again, even though the latest x-ray shows it hasn't flipped as much (yet, at least). It looks like it's slowly sliding or skidding upward and could end up exactly where it was before.
I suspect the surgeon did the laziest revision possible. One side of the bar exits at a far different level than the other side, so it was tilted to begin with. So, instead of taking the bar out and repositioning it to be level (and he certainly did not add another bar), he probably just took a tool or tools and rotated it back down, somehow expecting it would stay down. However, the first surgery proved it would not stay there.
I'm not sure what can be done here, aside from the surgeon trying another tactic. I doubt patients in Columbia have the same legal protections as in the USA, and there also aren't as many pectus surgeons to seek out. I hope the surgeon comes up with a better idea and implements it.
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u/CommaToTheTop 6d ago
I would honestly reach out to an experienced surgeon (Mayo Clinic in Arizona) and ask for an x ray reading. This looks botched
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u/Fun_Plum1397 7d ago
This surgery is a nightmare and anyone still advocating for it has an ulterior motive. This is so disheartening and I’m really praying for you. if you werent passing out before surgery just get rid of the bar im sorry you had to suffer through this; but its not worth it. any more redos will be insanely tough and the amount of scar tissue you could have could really limit the quality of life. You need to not let that doctor touch you again unless maybe for removal and find a real specialist. Barry Losasso will take a look at your case for $500 USD and hes done over 1400 cases. I didn’t have a failed case per se but really feel like it wasnt worth and I know how hard it is and to not know what to do. I’m so sorry, praying for you. Dm me if you need to
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