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 […]
Category: Osteotomies
Management of Complex, Mixed-Type Congenital Scoliosis Using a 3-Column Osteotomy/Vertebral Column Resection
The case presented in this blog is an adolescent male, who is an active athlete and having back pain. It is easy to see the scoliosis in the upper part of the spine. The below picture demonstrates the impact of scoliosis on the shoulder and neck alignment. Due to the scoliosis which tips the head […]
Severe Idiopathic Scoliosis, Treated with Preoperative Halo-Gravity Traction and then Posterior Spinal Fusion
The patient presented with the below scoliosis, no prior treatment. The proximal thoracic curve measured 57 degrees, and the main thoracic 91 degrees in skeletally mature patient. The patient has developed daily back pain, which is interfering with school and sporting activities. Not only does scoliosis cause chest asymmetry and back pain, but it can […]
Congenital Spine Dislocation with 8 Years of Postoperative Follow-up
Congenital dislocation of the spine (CDS) is a rare congenital malformation due to failure of the spine and the spinal cord to develop at a single spinal level. The patient may be completely neurologically intact or, in severe cases, may not have any muscle function or sensation below the level of the dislocation. It is […]
Congenital Spine Dislocation
Congenital dislocation of the spine (CDS) is a rare congenital malformation due to failure of the spine and the spinal cord to develop at a single spinal level. The patient may be completely neurologically intact or, in severe cases, may not have any muscle function or sensation below the level of the dislocation. It is […]
Vertebral Column Resection (VCR) in Pediatric Spinal Deformity Part 3
The last two blog posts were about the concept of VCR and the initial steps which are done, just before a VCR is performed. This post will talk about how a VCR is actually completed. How is a Vertebral Column Resection Performed? After the incision, spinal exposure and placement of pedicle screws the next important […]
Vertebral Column Resection (VCR) in Pediatric Spinal Deformity Part 2
How is a Vertebral Column Resection Performed? A vertebral column resection is performed under general anesthesia, which means the patient is asleep or unconscious, on a breathing machine (ventilator) and is face-down on the operating room table. Her Here is one of our spine nurses demonstrating how someone is positioned in the […]
Vertebral Column Resection (VCR) in Pediatric Spinal Deformity
What is a Vertebral Column Resection (VCR)? A VCR is complete surgical removal of one, or more, vertebra. It is always combined with posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation. This means screws, rods, and possibly cages are used to hold the spine in the new alignment while the spine undergoes bony fusion. Example C below. A […]
Spine Osteotomies
So your surgeon want to “cut” your spine….that just doesn’t sound good, does it? Well what are they talking about “cutting” the bone of your spine? To surgeons it is call an “osteotomy” which, if you break the word down to its latin roots, means bone (for “osteo”) and cutting part of the body (for […]