LizaJane,
You have to remember that you are having your hardware removed because of non-fusion...I do not know if that makes a difference in how it is removed and then replaced in your case. However, I would certainly call Dr. Bitan and ask him. He is open to discussion and does do minimally invasive procedures. When we discussed my surgery he apologized to me for not being able to offer me something minimally invasive....
He did just remove a long screw from my iliac and that surgery took 30 minutes. ...It was a very long screw with a rod attached at the very end of the fusion and the long screw then went into the ilium....It was removed because it no longer served a purpose and after injections into the SI joints we felt it was causing pain...
Dr. Bitan is not like other surgeons Liza...He will talk to you and call you at home..so if you have a question...send him this article and ask him to discuss it with you...
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Many many articles use translaminar facet screws, rather than rods and screws, and the results appear to be better.
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I only know about rods and screws and have only talked to people that have the rods and screws..Most people have good results though there are those that have had failed surgeries...It is why you have to do your homework and find good surgeons...I talked to many surgeons before I signed on the dotted line. I was always very happy with my decisions. I saw surgeons into the double digits before I decided on Dr. Bitan, so rest assured this was not a hasty decision for me, but it has to be one you are happy with as well. Dr. Bitan is French so he does things a little differently than other docs too...Do not forget, I am fused Liza from L1 to S1 and I am happy with my decision. I do still have pain, but every surgeon I saw told me I always will so I did not expect to be pain free and this was a second surgery for me...I had a laminectomy before this surgery....but I am happy with my decision...
Gloria