Spine Surgery Offers
Hope to Patients with Severe Scoliosis

When 9-year-old Alyssa Best developed scoliosis two years ago, a brace initially kept the slight curve in her spine under control. However, several months later the condition started progressing at an alarming pace, and eventually she was unable to walk without extreme pain.

“Even something as simple as sitting in a chair became impossible for her, and the curve became so drastic that it was putting pressure on her heart and lungs,” said Kelly Wagenhurst, Alyssa’s mother.

On March 3, 2010, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Orthopedic Surgeon David Siambanes, M.D., used steel rods to straighten Alyssa’s spine, which had, by then, curved to nearly a 90-degree angle.

“I’ve only seen a handful of scoliosis conditions as severe as Alyssa’s in the past 15 years,” said Dr. Siambanes.

What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person’s spine curves from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, the spine of an individual with typical scoliosis may look more like an “S” or a “C” rather than a straight line when it is viewed from the rear on an X-ray.

Scoliosis can first appear in young children or even infants, but most often it shows up during middle to late childhood — a time when the spine and the rest of the body goes through a growth spurt.

According to Dr. Siambanes, signs of scoliosis include an elevated shoulder blade, a waist that is lopsided and/or hips that seem unusually high. In most cases, scoliosis arises for no apparent reason, which is called idiopathic scoliosis. Occasionally, scoliosis is the result of an illness, birth defect (such as cerebral palsy) or a malformation of part of the spine during pregnancy. This is called congenital scoliosis.

How is scoliosis treated?

Some curves of the spine are mild and do not require treatment, but they do need to be monitored periodically by examination and X-rays to ensure they don’t worsen. If a curve is fairly large, between 20 and 40 degrees, and the child is still growing, a brace is used to prevent the curve from getting any worse. If the spinal curve progresses further, surgery may be recommended.

“Scoliosis surgery is one of the most extensive and complex orthopedic surgical procedures performed on children,” said Dr. Siambanes. “However, recent advancements have improved the success and safety of these surgical procedures, and new surgical technology has greatly reduced the recovery process as well, eliminating the need for braces after surgery.”

Just two days after surgery, Alyssa was able to get out of the hospital bed with assistance. And she was walking on her own within a week.

“When Dr. Siambanes told me he could fix Alyssa’s spine, I was more than hopeful, but never imagined it would turn out so well,” said Wagenhurst. “Today she’s able to run, jump and play just like any other kid her age — we can hardly keep her still.”

To learn more