Blog Topic: Neuromuscular Early-Onset Scoliosis Treated with Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods

10-10-2024 As discussed in previous posts, the indications and issues for surgical treatment of scoliosis in neuromuscular patients (such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal muscle atrophy, etc.…) can be much different than for other types of scoliosis. The ambulatory ability of neuromuscular patients can be highly variable. It is important to have a good […]

Blog Topic: Severe, complex congenital scoliosis cases using Spinal Growth Guidance or Shilla procedures

This post is an update to the 3-30-2021 post on a 4-year-old with severe, complex, mixed-type of congenital scoliosis. The major problem for this young patient (4 years old) who has two adjacent hemivertebra which is at the junction of the thoracic spine (chest) and the lumbar spine. These two hemivertebra cause an acute, severe […]

Blog Post: How Should Lumbar Spondylolysis Be Operatively Treated in Adolescents?

First of all, who is indicated for surgical treatment of lumbar spondylolysis (also called pars defect or pars fracture)? Nonsurgical treatments, such as physical therapy, bracing, activity limitation, injections are the primary interventions. These can be done for as long (months to years) as the patient is functioning at an acceptable level and has and […]

Blog Post: Idiopathic Lumbar Scoliosis Treated with Posterior Spinal Fusion T11 to L3

7-10-2024 13 year old female, active athlete Low back pain when participates in athletics Left trunk shift Right shoulder is higher than the left Near the end of skeletal growth Due to the magnitude of her deformity and skeletal age, surgery was discussed and, after discussions with patient and family, a posterior spinal fusion of […]

Blog Post: Use of Unilateral Magnetically Controlled Growing Rod (MAGEC) in severe, progressive infantile scoliosis……

Followed by conversion to Growth Guidance Surgery 6-26-2024 This case is a continuation of the last post in which a very young male was treated with a unilateral MAGEC rod.  In that post the case ended at 3 years after placement of the MAGEC rod with it being maximally lengthened.  He is now 6 years […]

Blog Post: Use of Unilateral Magnetically Controlled Growing Rod (MAGEC) in severe, progressive infantile scoliosis

6-17-2024 Below is a case showing use of a unilateral growing rod in a young patient. Above are the radiographs of a 3-year-old male whose scoliosis has progressed despite casting and brace wear.  Options were presented and the decision was to proceed with operative management. The surgical treatment was a single rod, placed on the […]

Blog Post: The Impact of Lumbar Partial Microdiscectomy in Adolescents on PROMIS Pain, Physical Function, and Mental Health Domains

5-31-2024 The below talk was presented at the European-Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America Combined Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on May 10, 2024 The conclusion of this research is Lumbar Partial Microdiscectomy (LPM) for Vertebral Apophyseal Ring Fractures (VARF) has improved Pain Interference and Mobility for patients up to 2 years after surgery, with […]

Blog Post: Severe Scoliosis Treated with Preoperative Halo-Gravity Traction and Posterior Spinal Fusion

3-31-2024 Above is an 11 year-old female with severe, untreated scoliosis of 143 degrees. Notice the severe shortening of the distance between her arms and hips. There is significant diminution of her lung volumes due to the shortening. With simply laying down on her back, the deformity improves to 104 degrees and if some force […]