Mobility after scoliosis correction

Mobility after scoliosis correction  

Spinal Fusion surgery by default is meant to take away the mobility in exchange for a better position or stability of the spine. The fused part of the spine cannot be expected to be mobile. However, there are various ways to preserve spinal mobility in children affected by scoliosis.  

The scoliosis deformity surgeries have advanced significantly. The major mobile parts of the spine are the neck (cervical) and the lower back (lumbar). The middle part (dorsal/ thoracic) is bound by ribs and is therefore, lesser mobile. Scoliosis commonly does not involve the cervical part of the spine. It affects mostly the middle part, which is the Dorsal or the Dorsolumbar spine. If scoliosis is diagnosed early, it can be managed with bracing, and the child may not need surgery. That is why ‘Scoliosis School Screening’ program is important.  

There are various techniques with which we can preserve the mobility of the spine after correction of scoliosis in young people. Tethering or VBT (Vertebral Body Tethering) is one such procedure where a flexible cable is threaded across screws or anchors and inserted into the spinal body. This allows the spine to be mobile while maintaining the correction and gradually correct it further as the child grows.  

Doctors make every effort to not to fuse the mobile or the lumbar part of the spine. Selective Thoracic Fusion is such a procedure which can be performed in certain cases where only thoracic or the middle part (which is less mobile) is fused whereas the mobile lumbar spine is kept mobile.