Coccygectomy
Well, it’s official. I will be having surgery on December 4, 2012 to remove my coccyx, better known as the tailbone. The surgery is projected to last about three hours and I will be in the hospital for 2 to 3 days.
This surgery can be very risky due to the location of the incision. The incision is going to be about 4 inches in length and will start about 1 inch above my rectum and move up towards my back. Risks of the surgery include bowel perforation, infection, and nerve damage.
It is anticipated that I will be unable to sit for 8 to 12 weeks after the surgery and full recovery can take up to a year.
Since this is a fairly rare procedure, I intend to post much information about the progress of my recovery. I have found a rather difficult time finding literature and people’s experiences as relates to the surgery on the Internet. I am hoping that by posting information about my recovery I will be able to help other people in the same situation that I am in.
I had coccyxgectomy in Salt Lake City December 2011. I think it helped decrease the pain maybe 30-50%. I was completely disabled before surgery. I now can be productive about 50%. I spend a lot of time on my side laying down. My surgeon retired, what is the name of your surgeon?
I am using Dr. John Heflin. Tell me about your recovery. Did it take a long time? I would l d be happy with a 50 percent reduction in pain.
How are you doing since surgery. I need to find a doctor to follow up with my coccygectomy. Would you recommend Dr Hefln at this point
Beverly, feel free to check out the rest of the blog. I am posting on a regular basis so that everyone can follow my progress. But I feel as if I’m doing well, and I would certainly recommend Dr. Heflin. I really appreciate his bedside manner. Although it’s still too early to tell if I will have a successful recovery, I would certainly consider the recovery thus far as successful. Good luck to you, and please let me know when you make a decision.
Thank you for posting so fast. I plan to call dr heflin next week.
Great! Let me know how your appointment goes.
Hello, am searching for a good doctor too. Where are you located? Thanks for posting your experience. I’m had a spinal fusion and just had my hardware removed but now need my tailbone removed but am having a hard time finding a good Dr in Utah. Thanks again for taking the time to share!
Jenny, I’m located in Utah! My physician was Dr. John Heflin and Mountainview Orthopedics in Ogden.