Reasons for Scoliosis Surgery
Scoliosis is a term used to describe a significant curvature in someone's spinal column. While it's normal to have a slight curve in your upper trunk, neck and lower trunk to maintain balance, treatment is needed if there are abnormal lateral curves in the spinal column. According to iScoliosis.com, the condition affects 2 percent of women and 0.5 percent of men. In more than 80 percent of cases, the cause is not known. Many scoliosis cases occur in children.
Other People Are Reading
-
Recommendations
-
According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, surgery is recommended if a child's spine is curved more than 40 to 50 degrees. They will correct and fuse the vertebrae to fix the curvature. Surgery may also be recommended if adults with scoliosis are in pain or there are curves in certain parts of the spine.
Technique
-
One type of scoliosis surgery is a posterior spinal fusion. Surgeons attach two metal rods, and hooks or screws to the spine to correct it. A section of the spine will be fused together to hold the correction. The metal is left in the body even after the bones fuse. This will help avoid the need for future surgery because the metal rods support the fused area and provide force to correct the curvature. Following surgery, the spine should be significantly straighter. At first, the patient may not be able to move or bend well, but that will improve over time.
-
Early Care
-
Early-onset scoliosis can affect children's growth severely, and affect their lungs or heart. Scoliosis surgery is long and complicated. It's one of the most difficult orthopedic procedures that can be done on children. Parents should expect it to last about six hours, with almost a week of hospitalization afterward. Children can't participate in activities for weeks.
To help children coping with scoliosis, Mayo Clinic surgeons, as of May 2009, were looking into a technique that involves rods. They would anchor a rod at each side of the curve in the spine, putting them parallel to each other. The middle part of the rods is adjustable. Over time, surgeons would lengthen that section to straighten the spine.
Potential
-
People considering scoliosis surgery should take into account the drawbacks and complications. Spinal fusion will stop the spine from growing in that area. If a child still has some growing to do, growth shouldn't be greatly affected. Children get most of their height from the growth in their leg bone, not their spine.
Warning
-
Because scoliosis surgeries are extensive and complicated, choose a qualified surgeon. Complications include arthritis, pain, bleeding, infection, nerve damage and disk degeneration. Very rarely is surgery needed a second time.
-
