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Spine surgery for scoliosis

Spine Health | Last Active: Apr 21, 2023 | Replies (7)

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@jenniferhunter

@loismae59 I wanted to welcome you to Connect. Surgery for scoliosis involving rods attached to the spine is an extensive surgery and would be done by a spine deformity specialist. I am a Mayo spine surgery patient, and my surgeon is a deformity specialist. That wasn't what I needed. My surgery was for cervical stenosis. I have discussed with another patient here on Connect who was getting some different opinions at Mayo about deformity surgery. This post and those after it have some details about the surgical plan that can give you some information about how these cases are handled.

With scoliosis that needs surgical correction, sometimes a pie shaped piece can be cut from the vertebrae to change the angle as it relates to the next bone in the spine and it is secured with screws and rods and heals together. The surgeon needs to get the curve in the spine closer to normal and the spine should not curve sideways. All of that needs to be calculated mathematically when a surgical plan is designed for spine deformity surgery. Sometimes they make a 3 D printed model to study the case and refer to that during surgery. Of course, any fusing of the spine or placement of rods changes the spines ability to flex and move. That could affect walking if the pelvis and spine can no longer move in concert with each other. A patient may not have normal movement to begin with if there is a spine deformity. I don't have that experience myself with only a single level fused in my neck.

Here is some more about scoliosis. Dr. Fogelson in the video was my surgeon.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/neurology-neurosurgery/videos/adult-scoliosis-diagnosis-and-treatment-options/vid-20527937

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Replies to "@loismae59 I wanted to welcome you to Connect. Surgery for scoliosis involving rods attached to the..."

I have severe scoliosis. I wanted to know if fibre is now used instead of a rod!

Rita

Hi @jenniferhunter,
Just wanted to thank you for all your work you do on this Mayo forum. I appreciate the links and suggestions you provide.