Watters December 1997

Thank you for seeing this 21 year old girl who suffered with an idiopathic scoliosis of moderate degree in the mid thoracic requiring Harrington rod spinal fusion in 1989 under Mr. Jackson at Treloars Hospital. This appears to have gone well with an eminently satisfactory result, however, in 1993 she was reviewed due to back pain and tenderness over the left sacro ileac scar. Mr Jackson felt this was due to a facet syndrome and she was assessed in the pain clinic. I enclose copies of recent relevant records for your information.

The situation has become somewhat more complicated in that two weeks ago she presented with lumbo sacral back pain while she remained relatively mobile with flexion to 45 degrees and reasonable extension there was a slight element of radiation to the left thigh. However, I felt this was mechanical in nature and have been arranging X-rays to clarify the situation with regard to her Harrington rod. However, events have overtaken us in that her father is increasingly concerned and has requested a private opinion. With this in mind I would be grateful for your assessment, as Trish Burrows naturally is not interested in proceeding with physiotherapy without medical guidance from you or myself.

Dr Watters to Mr D Harrison.