Scoliosis Surgery

Scoliosis is the term that describes an abnormal curve of the spine. The curve of the spine can either have one curve that will look like the letter C, or it could have two curves and be shaped like the letter S. The causes of Scoliosis can be from degenerative problems, and other reasons for developing scoliosis are unknown. Kids can get scoliosis surgery, but it is not recommended unless the condition is severe. When getting scoliosis treatment, the doctors will make their decision based on the skeletal maturity of the patient and the degree of the spinal curve. So for kids, they are basically making their decision on how much growth their skeleton can have. Any curve that is over 30 degrees in a person whose skeleton is still growing will need scoliosis treatment. Using back braces are supposed to stop the progression of the spinal curve. Although it will stop the curves from getting worse, it will not reduce the amount that is already present. The two kinds of braces that are used the most are the TLSO and the Charleston brace. The TLSO brace is pretty much worn all day, and the Charleston back brace is worn when the kid is sleeping. Scoliosis curves that are greater than 50 degrees have a high chance to get worse through adulthood. Scoliosis surgery can reduce the amount of curves, and sometimes doctors are able to correct the problem by 50%. During the surgery, hooks and screws are attached to the spine to give rods support. The rods that are used are there to hold the spine while bone fuses together. They can take bone from another part of the person’s body, like the hip, and use that on the spine to start the fusion. When the bones fuse, the spine will not move and the curve will not get worse. The rods are not typically removed when the bones have fused together. But if the rods are becoming a problem from the scoliosis surgery, you can have the rods removed. There are two kinds of scoliosis surgery. They will either do the surgery from the back, or they will do the surgery from the front. After getting scoliosis surgery, the patient will be resting for about 2 to 3 days, and after that they are able to move around a bit. The inpatient stay time for the surgery is about a week. It is advised that it is better for the spine to fuse better if it is not moved a lot. You do not want to move the spine a lot when it is trying to fuse and heal. Also after the scoliosis surgery, the patient will be monitored, and that can be from around a total of 1 or 2 years after surgery. When the bone is totally fused together, there is not more treatment required. You should look around and see what hospitals are able to perform this surgery, and whether or not they will accept your health insurance. You might also want to compare different hospitals to see which one you will prefer for the scoliosis surgery.