Category: Traction

In severe scoliosis, the use of traction has demonstrated an ability to improve the spinal deformity before surgery was actually performed.  There are three main methods: 1.   Preoperative halo-gravity traction 2.    Intraoperative halo-femoral traction 3.   Intraoperative Internal Dis-Traction   This post will focus on #3: Intraoperative Internal Dis-Traction   To demonstrate this treatment we […]

The last 4 posts have been on spine traction, and this is the last one, which details the third type traction we use in pediatric and adolescent spine deformity surgery: Temporary Intra-operative Distraction Rods (TIDR).  This type of traction, like Halo-Gravity and Intraoperative Halo-Femoral Traction, are used for the correction of severe scoliosis.  Each of […]

In nonambulatory neuromuscular scoliosis (i.e. cerebral palsy, spinal muscle atrophy, myelomeningocoele, muscular dystrophy) progressive scoliosis with long, sweeping curves can cause significant tipping of the hips which can create sitting imbalance, pressure sores and pain.              12 year old female with spastic quadriplegic CP   The goal of surgical treatment […]

As mentioned in the previous blog post, the use of halo-gravity traction (HGT) before surgery is a safe and very effective technique to improve severe spinal deformity, prior to a corrective surgical procedure.  On one end of the spine, the head, a carbon-fibre frame is placed onto the skull and a vertical force is placed […]

https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/st-louis/news-and-events/lily-stands-tall-after-spinal-fusion–243   https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/st-louis/halo-traction Earlier this spring I put up three blog posts on Halo-Gravity Traction.  I will briefly re-present it here as a way to launch into the two other types of traction we utilize: Intraoperative Halo-Femoral Traction and Internal “Dis-traction” Technique. What is halo-gravity traction? As you see from the three young patients above, […]

Question: My child’s spine doctor says they want to use “traction” on my child’s spine.  This sounds scary.  What is it?  Is this something new?  I have never heard of it. Answer: Spine traction to correct spinal deformity is not a new concept; in fact, the first applications were reported in ancient Hindu mythological epics […]

Do the kids lie in bed the entire time? Absolutely not. The only time they are in bed is to sleep, take a nap or rest.  Otherwise the patients in traction are kept busy and upright. If patients are in bed they will not get the maximal benefit from the traction, so the more they […]

To provide a more complete answer from the last blog on “when” we use halo-gravity traction, the answer is: Before spine deformity surgery, at which time growing rods, Shilla Growth Guidance System or a definitive spinal fusion is performed.  Case: 5 year old male with 101 degree curve.   Decreases to 72 degrees after 6 weeks […]

1. What is halo-gravity traction (HGT)? Gravity pulls the body down, and causes the spine to bend and twist more, especially for those individuals with scoliosis or kyphosis or both.  Simply put, gravity makes spinal deformity worse.  Laying down in bed, or on the ground, negates the force of gravity making the spinal deformity better […]