Spinal Scoliosis Surgery

Spinal scoliosis surgery is a common way to treat this condition and it has a high success rate. It is not the only option for those who have scoliosis and in a lot of cases it just won't be a suitable treatment. It is generally agreed that those who have a curvature of greater than 45 degrees will tend to benefit most from spinal scoliosis surgery. There is believed to be a 5% risk of complications arising as a result of this procedure; although some experts claim that the rate is higher than this.

Why is Spinal Scoliosis Surgery Required?

Scoliosis is a disease where the spine develops abnormal curves from side to side. The extent to which this happens will vary greatly and it tends to deteriorate over time. Scoliosis is most often diagnosed during early childhood, but in some instances it doesn't get noticed until later. Those who have a lot of curvature early on in life are more likely to see a progression of the problem.

Spinal scoliosis surgery aims to straighten the spine and prevent further curvature. This is not just for cosmetic reasons because this abnormal spinal shape can also greatly impact an individual's physical well-being. It is true to say that the condition can make life very uncomfortable for people and they can be very self-conscious about the condition; thus limiting their ability to enjoy a health social life. Spinal scoliosis surgery then can not only improve their physical health but also their mental well-being as well.

What Does Spinal Scoliosis Surgery Involve?

With spinal scoliosis surgery the surgical team will either create an incision in the patient's back, or in their front. If they are working from the front they will also have to deflate a lung in order to gain proper access to the spine. The surgery involves placing rods that help straighten the spine; in some instances this will also be grafting involving bone from other parts of the body. If the patient is still young the surgical team may use growing rods which can be altered as the individual's spine grows.

The full recovery process from spinal scoliosis surgery can take about seven months. The patient will be on bed rest immediately after the procedure – this can last up to three weeks if the procedure involved spinal fusion. Once they are discharged home the patient will have restrictions on their movement for about six months.

There is always the risk of complications with this type of procedure and this includes the possibility of; excessive bleeding, infection, damage to nerves or organs, increased risk of arthritis, respiratory infections, complications of bed rest, and hospital acquired infections. As already noted though, most patients will have the procedure without developing any of these complications. Those that do have things go wrong with the spinal scoliosis surgery will tend to find that this is just a temporary setback. In some instances the surgery won't be successful and could even make things worse than before – rare.