Scoliosis Surgery Risks

Anyone having this type of procedure will need to be aware that there are scoliosis surgery risks. It is estimated that 95% of those people who undergo this treatment will not suffer from complications; although other sources say that the rate of complications is higher than this. It only by being aware of the scoliosis surgery risks that people will be able to make an informed choice to go ahead with the treatment. In most cases it is young children who are having the operation and so the parents will need to provide consent. This treatment option has worked out well for a lot of people, but informed consent is always the wisest approach.

What are the Scoliosis Surgery Risks?

The scoliosis surgery risks will vary between case to case; we are all unique and so there may be particular circumstances that make it more likely that we develop complications of surgery. Age can be a factor and so can the presence of any other disease process. Here are just some of the scoliosis surgery risks that people should be aware of before agreeing to the treatment.

• Some people can react badly to an anaesthetic. If you have previously had a general anaesthetic then this should be less likely to happen.
• There could be excessive bleeding as a result of the surgery and this could cause problems if it is not controlled properly.
• The fact that there is an open would means that there is the risk of infection.
• It could happen that organs, nerves, or tissue becomes damaged during the surgery.
• Those having the surgery may later be at more risk of developing arthritis.
• There is the risk of disk degeneration.
• Some people can develop respiratory problems.
• Another of the scoliosis surgery risks is that patients could pick up hospital acquired infections.

As you can see there are quite a few scoliosis surgery risks but it has to be remembered that the vast majority of people will not experience these complications. No surgery is completely safe, and so scoliosis surgery is not unusual in that there is the possibility of complications.

Should People Have the Procedure Despite Scoliosis Surgery Risks?

It is important that those who give their consent for this type of procedure understand the scoliosis surgery risks, but it is also necessary to keep things in perspective. The surgical team will be able to provide a clearer description of the potential benefits and risks of the surgery and both should be taken into account. Having this surgery can make a huge difference to how people enjoy the rest of their life, and many people will agree that the small amount of risk involved is worth it. Even if complications do arise they will be usually easily treated, and it is only in rare cases that it can lead on to very poor outcomes. A surgical team will never recommend any procedure unless they are confident that it is going to be a good choice.