Scar Management

I just wanted to post some information about medical scar management. There are a lot of discussions about scar formation after decompression surgery, and perhaps more could be done medically to prevent it. I hope I've posted this in the right forum, because it is meant to build on the discussion of scar formation without hijacking anyone's thread.

Ultrasound therapy is useful in the medical management of scar tissue, but it should be performed by a professional, or it could impede wound healing. Over a year ago my husband was in an accident that severely injured his hand. He underwent reconstructive surgery, and has been receiving occupational therapy for over a year now; first for wound management and then for scar management. We were both surprised to learn about all the things that can be done medically to manage scar tissue. Ultrasound is being used as one part of his therapy, over a year after his accident and surgery. Without occupational therapy for scar management, he would not be doing as well as he is today.

Here is a link to a professional occupational therapy website about scar management; the section on Thermal Modalities discusses ultrasound:
http://occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com/Article/Basic-Tenets-of-Scar-Management-1.aspx

Just based on my knowledge of scar management from personal experience (and I'm not a medical professional), it seems to me that veterinary neurosurgeons might do more than is being done today in order to prevent scar tissue formation. Perhaps this could be the key to improved outcomes after decompression surgery.

I didn't know about ultrasound being used for scar management when our Charlie had decompression surgery, but I wish I had known. This is something I will definitely discuss beforehand if I'm ever faced with the decision again.

Thanks for the post, Cathy–you raise some good ideas and some things to think about. I do know that one woman who has had the titanium—decompression surgery on her dog, Jaime Redniss, also used ultrasound. She started using it when her dog–the very first to have the titanium surgery–began to show signs of pain and on a new MRI, it was clear he was having scar tissue problems. She found that these eased almost right away after she started using ultrasound, and she actually bought one of the machines herself. She has posted about this a bit on the various SM discussion lists. Several of the neurologists that I know of who deal with SM think that this might be a possible route for people to pursue, but I don't know of anyone who recommends ultrasound as a norm, after surgery. Maybe it should be?

Thanks Cathy and Karlin,

I go back and forth especially because I have heard so many good things about this. Especially considering what I heard last week that was the outcome of a second surgery. What I need to do is have my neurologist call Dr. Dewey or someone else who has done more than one surgery because I can not do it given those odds. Financially, I am hurting so I would have loved to go ahead and schedule with the place here that does ultrasound therapy and started but it is costly. He would do the surgery for less than that. I am just going to have to write a best selling novel or win the lottery

I will contact both of them today. After her vet visit yesterday that cost me $350, this might not be the best week.

By the way, I cancelled my pet insurance last week and changed my mind. They actually made an exception and reinstated my policy. Please let that mean they will cover the cost to the vet b/c I know they did not cover anything with SM. I told my vet to make sure does not say it has anything to do with SM. I guess someone was watching out for me because I might get some of that back had I not changed my mind.