Scoliosis Treatment In India

Dr. Nikhil Malewar > Scoliosis Treatment In India

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Scoliosis Treatment In India

About Scoliosis

Scoliosis is the abnormal twisting and curvature of the spine. It is usually first noticed by a change in the appearance of the back. there are many complications that occur like The Head being slightly off-center, Uneven shoulders, Asymmetry of the chest, One hip higher than the other, Shoulder blade higher than the other, Prominent ribs, Asymmetry of the back and visible curve.

A progressive curve (30 degrees or more) left untreated can cause lung, heart and neurological complications. 2-3% of the population has scoliosis. In 80% of cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown. Such cases are called idiopathic scoliosis. 10% of adolescents have some degree of scoliosis. Scoliosis most often occurs between ages of 10-15 years. The ratio of girls to boys for scoliosis is 7:1. All students should be screened every year by parents and teachers for signs of scoliosis. Monitoring is the best way to know the minor curves in growing kids and can be treated clinically and radiologically for progression.

Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine of the patient is extremely curved. Treatment for this condition includes a brace to position the spine as the patient grows older, or in severe cases, surgery to correct the curvature of the spine. While bracing does not correct the curve, it has been shown to stop progression in up to 70% of patients with curves less than 40 degrees. If the progressing curves are more than 40 degrees in a growing spine will be indicated for surgical treatment.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine or in the backbone on one side. Scoliosis is a condition in which a patient’s spine has a sideways curvature and the curve is usually “C” or “S” in shape over three dimensions. There will be a normal spine curve when you look from the side, but the spine should appear straight when you look from the front. Usually, the degree of curvature is stable but increases over time in some cases. Mild scoliosis is not problematic, but as children grow, some spine deformities continue to get more severe. Severe scoliosis can reduce the amount of space in the chest, making it difficult to breathe properly. The degree of curvature in scoliosis ranges from 10-20 degrees considered mild scoliosis, 20-50 degrees as moderate scoliosis and greater than 50 degrees as severe scoliosis.

What can be expected from a scoliosis treatment?

When scoliosis condition is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be treated by simply wearing spinal braces which prevents the curve from becoming worse. However, if the spinal curvature cannot be corrected using a non-invasive method such as body brace, the surgeon may recommend a spine surgery for scoliosis. The surgery typically involves correction of the spinal curve by fixing its shape as close to normal as possible.

A spinal fusion surgery can help hold the spinal curve in its right place. In this procedure, a combination of instruments such as screws, hooks, and rods, are used along with a bone graft. The instrumentation is attached and fixed to the bones of the spine which helps hold them in place. The surgeon places a bone graft, taken from the patient’s own body, a donor or a synthetic graft, and bones ultimately fuses (spinal fusion surgery) as they grow together with the adjacent bones and turn into one solid piece.

This will also prevent any further curvature in that region of the spine. There are many techniques for spinal fusion surgery and the choice depends on the spinal condition, the patient’s health and other factors. The surgeries can be performed by making a single incision on the back of the spine, along with or without another incision on the front or side of the back.

The type of incision is determined on the basis of the location and severity of the spinal curve.Minimally invasive spine surgery are advanced keyhole procedures that allow less surgical damage to the surrounding tissues, faster recovery and shorter hospital stay.

What can be achieved by scoliosis surgery?

A scoliosis surgery may have one of these three goals:

Stop the further progression of curve: The patients usually require surgical treatment for scoliosis when the deformity advances or worsens over time. The scoliosis surgery aims to prevent the curve from becoming even more worse.
Reduce or correct the spinal deformity: Scoliosis surgery is often used to fix the abnormal spinal shape or twist, and even correct the lateral curve by about 50% to 70%. However, this depends on how much flexibility still remains in the spinal region. After the surgery, the patient may be able to stand up straighter and have reduced rib hump in the back.
Maintaining the trunk balance: Apart from making any changes to the positioning of the spine, the surgeon also considers the improvement in overall trunk balance. This is done by maintaining as much of the spine’s natural lordosis/kyphosis (front/back) curvature and managing to keep the hips and legs as even as possible.

When is scoliosis surgery needed?

Typically, people who have the spinal curve that is more than 45-50°, as it is very likely to get worse after the full growth. This may raise the level of appearance of deformity in the back and even affect the lung functions. Surgery is usually recommended for achieving one of the three goals.

The curvature between 40° and 50° in a growing child is considered challenging. However, the best scoliosis surgeon in India conduct several tests and considers other influencing factors to determine whether surgery will be a good choice.

How straight will the spine become after scoliosis surgery?

This will depend on how flexible the scoliosis curvature is before the operation. Usually, the more flexible the curve is, the better is the chances of correction from surgery. The surgeon will measure the flexibility before the surgery using special x-rays called bending or traction films.

As the spinal bones protect the spinal cord, the surgeon will only be able to straighten the bones only much as it is safe. Most patients, after recovery from scoliosis surgery, have their curves straightened to less than 25°. Also, in many cases, the small curves can hardly be noticed.

Is surgery a successful treatment for scoliosis?

Spinal fusion has a good success rate and most people report an arrest in progression of the spinal curvature. The new advancement in surgical technology and patient care systems has enabled the straightening of the curve to a significant level, along with improvement in the appearance of the patient’s back.

The affordable scoliosis surgery cost in India makes it even a more appealing option for the patients, especially in countries where the procedure is too expensive or proper facilities are not available.