Winged scapula?

[LHRFlightman]

Like most kids in this sun, my 14 year old daughter in in her bikini top in the garden. I've noticed that one of her shoulder blades protrudes more than the other and looking on the Internet I've discovered winged scapula.

First, is it serious? Second will she grow out of it, and third if not, what's the treatment, if any?

Thanks in advance

Pete

Edited by LHRFlightman on Monday 17th November 15:27

[Xerstead]

LHRFlightman said:

First, is it serious? Second will she grow out of it, and third if not, what's the treatment, if any?

Unlikely to be serious, most likely to be from muscle weakness/imbalance. Simple exercises will help strengthen the muscles holding the shoulder blade and pull it back into place. Google will pull up a list of them.

[Slink]

I have not looked it up recently so might be mistaking is for something else buuutttt, dont you get that from some form of damage or trauma of the shoulder blades? like getting shoved up against something back first, or some other damage?

will actually look it up now to see.

[mattikake]

Serratus anterior weakness (muscle that protracts the shoulder). Can be caused by many things - underuse/atrophy, injury, nerve problem etc.

Can she do things like press-ups?

[The_Doc]

If you're worried then send her to your GP (who won't know what's wrong) then on to a Paediatrician or Orthopaedic Surgeon if serious enough (which it probably isn't)

There are quite a few things that give this look to a shoulder blade and this forum isn't the right place to start worrying you. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[LHRFlightman]

Thanks all. My wife now believes she has Scoliosis so it's the doctors next! No more Google diagnosis this weekend.

Thanks again.

[LHRFlightman]

Well Scoliosis it is.

X-rays were done last week so now we're just waiting around for the consultants appointment.

[The_Doc]

best of luck.

don't rush into treatment, not that you would, but it's often just a cosmetic problem...

[LHRFlightman]

The_Doc said:

best of luck.

don't rush into treatment, not that you would, but it's often just a cosmetic problem...

Thanks Doc. I appreciate that.

She is a bit wheezy and out of breath after moderate excercise. The GP said her spine has twisted as well as the usual 'S' curve. Consequently her organs are displaced and she has reduced lung capacity, hence the shortness of breath.Hope that makes sense?

Whilst we've not seen the consultant yet, the GP was pretty sure surgery would be required.

My wife and i are putting a brave face on it, primarily because my daughter is scared silly at the thought of surgery. And to be honest, we're both terrified too. We've always been fortunate with health, and this is something way out of our comfort zone.

[dele]

Sorry to hear, i wish you and your family the best of luck

[BlackVanDyke]

Aww, rats. Best of luck with all this.

[LHRFlightman]

The_Doc said:

best of luck.

don't rush into treatment, not that you would, but it's often just a cosmetic problem...

Thanks Doc. I appreciate that.

She is a bit wheezy and out of breath after moderate excercise. The GP said her spine has twisted as well as the usual 'S' curve. Consequently her organs are displaced and she has reduced lung capacity, hence the shortness of breath.Hope that makes sense?

Whilst we've not seen the consultant yet, the GP was pretty sure surgery would be required.

My wife and i are putting a brave face on it, primarily because my daughter is scared silly at the thought of surgery. And to be honest, we're both terrified too. We've always been fortunate with health, and this is something way out of our comfort zone.

[BlackVanDyke]

LHRFlightman said:

The_Doc said:

best of luck.

don't rush into treatment, not that you would, but it's often just a cosmetic problem...

Thanks Doc. I appreciate that.

She is a bit wheezy and out of breath after moderate excercise. The GP said her spine has twisted as well as the usual 'S' curve. Consequently her organs are displaced and she has reduced lung capacity, hence the shortness of breath.Hope that makes sense?

Whilst we've not seen the consultant yet, the GP was pretty sure surgery would be required.

My wife and i are putting a brave face on it, primarily because my daughter is scared silly at the thought of surgery. And to be honest, we're both terrified too. We've always been fortunate with health, and this is something way out of our comfort zone.

If your daughter would like to talk to someone her own age who's been through all this and come out the other side, both the specialist when she sees them and also the UK scoliosis organisation (there will be one but I don't know what it's called) will be able to arrange this. Organisations like that quite often have drop-in days/picnics/meet-ups and things of that ilk, it really helps young people facing possibly scary stuff to meet others the same, and their parents likewise.

All the best.

[LHRFlightman]

Thought I'd update this as I need to get this down somewhere.

We're just come back from a consultant appointment at the Royal Orthopedia Hopistal in Stanmore. Whilst the result was as we suspected over 12 months ago, surgery, it's still a shock.

My beautiful baby girl has to go through 2 operations. The first is through the rib cage to remove a rib and allow them access to her spine. The second a week later, where they'll fuse her vertebra and attach the titanium screws and rods. She'll then need to wear a custom built thermoplastic cast for 3 months. Usual risks of infection etc, with the additional one of paralysis. TBH I'm numb at the moment. Her spine angle is 77 degrees and surgery is performed at this level in almost all cases.

We're now waiting for an MRI scan, and she' s on the waiting list for the op as of today. All she wants is to get her exams out of the way, and she dearly wants to be able to attend her school prom on 28th June. We'll do all we can to make sure she doesn't miss it, but she'll have her 16th birthday in hospital.

Parents, give your kids an extra cuddle tonight. You never know what is around the corner.

Cheers for reading,

Pete.

[TheBALDpuma]

I saw the title of this thread when I was looking through for another old thread, and thought I could come in and help based on a winged scapula of one my clients after shoulder trauma and subsequent surgery.

Well the condition obviously went a totally different way and I just wanted to say I hope things all get sorted in the end and your daughter is okay!

[LHRFlightman]

Thought it was worth updating this.

My daughter went into the RNOH in Stanmore on 13th July, 10 days after her 16th birthday. She had her first operation on 14th, which involved the removal of a rib, the partial removal of 2 ribs, and 4 discs in her back. To enable all,this to happen her right lung was deflated. The operation took 5 hours and as you can imagine it was the longest 5 hours of our lives. She was so brace going down to theatre, I was so proud of her.

Operation number two took place a week later, and this was the spinal fusion, and the inserting of two metal rods and 14 screws. This operation took 5.5 hours, again a worrying time.

The operations were a total success. The surgeon. Mr Molloy is, to quote one of his colleagues, "a legend". He is my hero. My daughters spine angle has gone from 88 degrees to 11 degrees. This is a result beyond our wildest dreams, my wife and I were hoping for something below 40.

Megan is now home with us, having been discharged on Monday, as per the plan. The staff at RNOH were amazing. A couple of the nurses went above and beyond to make sure Megan was as comfortable as possible, both physically and emotionally. We couldn't have asked for more.

Megan has to wear a brace for 8-12 weeks whilst her muscles grow into the correct shape. For. 16 year old girl about to start college this isn't the best experience but she will get through it.

One final thing, she is now 3" taller, which is taking some getting used too.

So, a happy ending. It's been a real rollercoaster but for us it's all turned out wonderfully. And God will she have a story to tell when people ask her about the thin scar on her back.

[The_Doc]

LHRFlightman said:

Thought it was worth updating this.

My daughter went into the RNOH in Stanmore on 13th July, 10 days after her 16th birthday. She had her first operation on 14th, which involved the removal of a rib, the partial removal of 2 ribs, and 4 discs in her back. To enable all,this to happen her right lung was deflated. The operation took 5 hours and as you can imagine it was the longest 5 hours of our lives. She was so brace going down to theatre, I was so proud of her.

Operation number two took place a week later, and this was the spinal fusion, and the inserting of two metal rods and 14 screws. This operation took 5.5 hours, again a worrying time.

The operations were a total success. The surgeon. Mr Molloy is, to quote one of his colleagues, "a legend". He is my hero. My daughters spine angle has gone from 88 degrees to 11 degrees. This is a result beyond our wildest dreams, my wife and I were hoping for something below 40.

Megan is now home with us, having been discharged on Monday, as per the plan. The staff at RNOH were amazing. A couple of the nurses went above and beyond to make sure Megan was as comfortable as possible, both physically and emotionally. We couldn't have asked for more.

Megan has to wear a brace for 8-12 weeks whilst her muscles grow into the correct shape. For. 16 year old girl about to start college this isn't the best experience but she will get through it.

One final thing, she is now 3" taller, which is taking some getting used too.

So, a happy ending. It's been a real rollercoaster but for us it's all turned out wonderfully. And God will she have a story to tell when people ask her about the thin scar on her back.

Congrats to you all. Spinal surgeons are indeed the Iron Heroes of the trade. I couldn't do it. In my training I once assisted at a spinal correction for Scheuermann's kyphosis which involved a four hour operation through the lung cavity during which I held the beating heart of the patient in my hand. Followed by a brief coffee break, turn the patient onto their front and then a seven hour fusion of the bits at the back.

Following photo not suitable for the squeamish.

http://www.mehdianspine.com/img/Correction-of-Sche...

Bearing in mind I did a knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy the other day that took me 11 minutes, spinal surgeons are indeed hewn from a special material.

Again, big congrats to your daughter

[BlackVanDyke]

Well done, Megan. Sounds like a hell of an ordeal.

[LHRFlightman]

Hi Doc and BVD.

Thanks for your kind words, yes it's been tough, but that black cloud above our heads for the last two years is now a fading memory. Megan continues to take small steps of improvement each day.

We're all over the moon.

Pete

[craig1912]

Met a family a couple of years ago who's daughter had the same op at 16 which had been two years ago. You wouldn't know it apart from the very thin scar down her back. She was sailing, windsurfing etc. and so glad she had the op done