Understanding scoliosis surgery

The diagnosis of scoliosis often triggers a wave of questions and concerns about the future.

How did this happen?

What are the treatment options for scoliosis?

Is scoliosis surgery necessary?

Managing these uncertainties is essential to making informed decisions.

This article provides an overview of scoliosis surgery, including when it may be considered, what the procedure entails and what to expect during recovery. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need to understand scoliosis surgery and make informed, confident choices for your health or that of a loved one.

Scoliosis surgery is generally considered when the curvature of the spine becomes severe and continues to progress despite non-surgical treatments.

The decision to proceed with surgery depends on a number of factors, including the patient's age, the degree and location of scoliosis, and the presence of symptoms such as pain or breathing problems.

In general, surgery is considered a last resort, after non-surgical treatments such as customized corsets and specific exercise rehabilitation have been exhausted. These non-surgical treatments aim to halt or slow the progression of scoliosis, but if they fail to do so, surgery may be necessary to prevent further complications and improve quality of life.

Scoliosis surgery, which mainly involves spinal fusion, aims to correct scoliosis and stabilize the spine.

During the procedure, the surgeon aligns the affected vertebrae, then fuses them together using bone grafts, metal rods and screws. These components help keep the spine straight while the bone grafts grow and solidify into a single strong bone. Surgery is generally performed on the most severely affected sections of the spine.

Post-operative care includes hospitalization for monitoring and initial recovery, followed by several months of restricted activity to ensure appropriate healing and fusion.

While surgery can bring considerable benefits, it can also entail a number of risks.

Potential complications include infection, blood loss and adverse reactions to anesthesia. There is also a risk of nerve damage, which can lead to numbness, weakness or even paralysis in rare cases.

The fusion process can also lead to a loss of flexibility in the treated section of the spine, which can affect overall mobility .

Patients should discuss these risks in detail with their surgeon in order to make an informed decision.

Although scoliosis surgery is necessary for some, many people manage their scoliosis with non-surgical treatments. These treatments are generally aimed at reducing pain, improving function and quality of life, and preventing progression. They can be particularly effective when scoliosis is diagnosed early.

Options include :

1:Customized corset: Wearing a customized corset can help halt the progression of scoliosis and, in some cases, even reduce curvature, especially in growing children and adolescents. Customized corsets are designed and manufactured for each individual patient.

2:Scoliosis-specific exercise rehabilitation: scoliosis-specific physiotherapeutic exercise programs (SSPE), such as ScoliBalance®, aim to teach the patient active self-correction of 3D posture, reinforce the corrected posture and integrate the new posture into daily life. The emphasis is on ensuring that the spine can maintain or improve its flexibility for function, and that muscular strength and endurance are also improved. Each patient has a personalized program based on his or her type of scoliosis, symptoms and treatment goals.

These programs can be used on their own for small scolioses, but should be used as part of a complete program in conjunction with a corset for larger scolioses. ScoliBalance can also enable the patient to maintain the correction achieved with the corset once the corset weaning process has begun.

Each of these treatments must be tailored to the specific needs of each individual, and can be used in combination to ensure the most effective management of scoliosis. It is essential to work with healthcare professionals to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is best suited to the patient's treatment and lifestyle goals.

Our priority is your well-being. Although we favor conservative, non-surgical treatments for scoliosis, we are aware that surgery, in some cases, may be in the patient's best interest.

Your health is our primary concern, and we are committed to recommending the most appropriate treatment for your individual needs.

Scoliosis surgery is an important decision with long-term implications. It's essential to fully understand the procedure, the risks and the recovery process before making a decision.

Exploring all available treatment options and proactively managing scoliosis can often reduce the need for surgery. Always consult a healthcare professional who specializes in scoliosis management to determine the best course of action for your specific case.

We'll be happy to help you define your coverage options.

You can also send me an e-mail with your questions to 

cccv@chiropractic.fr