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 […]
Category: Growth Guidance Surgery
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 […]
Talking Points for Early-Onset Scoliosis Patients: Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods vs. Shilla Growth-Guidance
In the surgical treatment of Early-Onset Scoliosis (EOS) the options boil down to two main constructs: Distraction-Based: this encompasses both Traditional Growing Rods (TGR) and Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods (MCGR) Growth-Guidance: this is also called the “Shilla Procedure” We will not go into detail about these two spine constructs, but ask you go […]
Severe, complex congenital scoliosis cases using Shilla procedures
Over the last 6 Blog posts congenital scoliosis has been exhaustively presented and explained. Most cases of congenital scoliosis are mild and do not require surgery. Of those that do need surgery there are several well-accepted techniques for improvement and control of the scoliosis: distraction constructs (traditional growing rods, magnetically-controlled growing rods, VEPTR), resection with […]
The Shilla Growth Guidance Procedure
My first on this surgical technique was in August of 2018, and I posted yesterday how I compare Shilla Growth Guidance against Traditional Growing Rods and MAGEC Growing Rods. I will continue to discuss the Shilla Growth Guidance System using a Frequently-Asked-Question format, based on questions parents and caregivers have asked me over the last […]
What is the best surgery for a patient with Early-Onset Scoliosis (EOS) who needs to have surgery?
This is a question parents commonly ask me in the office. The question is a fair, reasonable question. So why is it so hard for me to give an answer? Well…..EOS is a problem which has many facets or things which need to be considered to be able to optimally answer the question. Every child […]
Shilla Growth Guidance Procedure
1. What is the Shilla procedure? The Shilla technique is one which passively guides spine growth, rather than actively distracting across like a growing rod system. I refer to it as a “track and trolley” system. 2. Who is a candidate for the Shilla technique? Many patients who are candidates for traditional growing rods […]