What To Expect After Spinal Surgery
Most spinal reconstructive surgeries take six to eight hours. You can expect to remain at NYU Langone for a minimum of five days while your body heals.
In the days immediately following surgery, pain management specialists ensure that you have the medication you need to remain comfortable while you recover. In addition, physical medicine doctors assess your level of mobility. Many people are able to stand or walk the day after surgery, though movement may be minimal at first, and older people may need more time to recover in bed.
Within one week of surgery, most people are able to walk and return home. However, some people may require additional care and assistance after leaving the hospital, until they can walk and move with ease. NYU Langone doctors can refer you to appropriate at-home or inpatient support services as needed.
For 8 to 10 weeks following surgery, physical activity should be limited to gentle, low-impact movements as the spine fuses and heals. However, total bed rest is not recommended. Walking and moving at least a little bit every day can help to speed recovery and prevent complications. At 10 to 12 weeks, you can begin physical therapy, strengthening core muscles and improving flexibility and movement. For best results, physical therapy should continue for a year after surgery.
Where Can I Get More Information
The best information about your specific condition typically comes directly from your surgeon. You can check to see if your surgeon is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society by going to the Find a Specialist tool. Membership in SRS indicates that at least 20% of the doctors practice is in spinal deformity, that they attend annual meetings, and stay current with new information and new research.
In addition to the Scoliosis Research Societys website, there are other reputable organizations and resources that may offer further information about surgery for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.
Here is a list of some patient resources that may be of assistance:
What Type Of Pain Control Will There Be After The Operation
Pain control varies between different doctors and hospitals. In many cases, a PCA is used, which injects a small dose of pain medicine intravenously when you push a button. Some surgeons use an intravenous catheter to provide the medication in larger but less frequent doses. The pain relief system that your doctor is accustomed to using is probably the safest and most reliable for you after surgery in that particular institution.
On the second or third day after surgery, your doctor will most likely change your medication to pills or liquid pain relievers taken by mouth. These medications are an opiate . Because these medications are known to be addictive if taken for a long time, you may be encouraged to switch to a different type of pain medication as soon as possible after you go home.
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How Soon After Back Surgery Can You Walk
Youll be encouraged to walk and move around the day after surgery and its likely youll be discharged 1 to 4 days afterwards It will take about 4 to 6 weeks for you to reach your expected level of mobility and function .
However, there is no significant difference in waist position between the post-operative and non-scoliotic groups The change that occurs following scoliosis surgery is towards the range of asymmetries seen in the non-scoliotic group, although surgery does not completely recreate normality.
What Are The Risks Of Minimally Invasive Scoliosis Surgery For A Child
Every surgery has risks. Risks for minimally invasive spine surgery include:
- Not enough bone formation
- Need for a repeat surgery
Your child’s risks may differ depending on his or her age, general health, shape of the curve, and the surgery method. Having the surgery at a facility that is experienced in the method can help lower your child’s risks. Talk with your child’s healthcare provider about the risks that most apply to your child.
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What Age Is Best For Scoliosis Surgery
Yet, scoliosis spinal fusion surgery is often recommended when a scoliosis curve measures over 50 degrees It also gets recommended before children are done growing as young as age 14.
While wiping, bend from the knees rather than at the hips A long- handled device may help to reach all areas 4 The use of pre-moistened, flushable wipes is strongly recommended.
How Do You Sleep After Scoliosis Surgery
Doctors recommend sleeping on your back or your side as you heal from spine surgery Sleeping on your belly is generally not recommended because your spine is not in a neutral position for a prolonged period Consider wearing satin pajamas to bed to help it make it easier for you to adjust your sleeping position.
These numbers were higher than expected Our study showed that the mean HBL volume during scoliosis surgery was 6935 ml, accounting for 539 % of the total blood loss.
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What Happens Before And After Surgery
Prior to your surgery, your doctor will be able to give you a general scoliosis surgery recovery timeline. This will allow you to plan accordingly and help you focus more on healing rather than fixating on minor details. Depending on the complexity of your surgery, your doctor will decide how long you will need to remain in the hospital after surgery. In some cases, its two or three days, although it can be a bit longer.
How Long Is Bed Rest After Spinal Fusion
Four weeks of postoperative bed rest reportedly improves the maintenance of sagittal alignment of patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures treated with spinal fusion and instrumentation compared to spinal fusion and instrumentation with early mobilization.
Patients opting for a spinal fusion will have to take an increased mortality rate due to surgical risks into consideration However, chances of death are below one percent for patients who are generally otherwise healthy, although the odds will increase to 20 percent for patients who have low vitality.
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Scoliosis Surgery Success Rate
Despite its high success rate , this type of scoliosis surgery does come with some drawbacks, such as the possibility of permanent back pain .
Scoliosis is a condition in which a personâs spine is bent over like an S or C shape, and it is caused by a defect in the spineâs alignment. Congenital disabilities, tumors, infections, or non-structural conditions, such as uneven legs, are all possible causes of Scoliosis. Scoliosis is treated based on how severe it is, the risk of curving, as well as the age of the patient. When performed on children aged 15 and under, surgical Scoliosis surgery has a 70% success rate. An incorrect surgical procedure can result in a patientâs inability to walk after the surgery. Scoliosis is treated at the renowned Istanbul hospital, the Anatolian Hospital. It is a thoracoscopic procedure that they began offering in the United States before making it available in the United States. As a result, a 95% success rate can be attributed to this. A 14-year-old professional dancer from Northern Ireland who was on the verge of death had a curvature close to 100 degrees and was under intense pressure on her lungs and bones.
How Serious Is Scoliosis Surgery
The most concerning risk with scoliosis surgery is paraplegialoss of movement and feeling in the lower body and legs It is rare but can be a devastating complication To help manage this risk, the spinal cord is monitored during surgery through a several simultaneous methods: Somatosensory evoked potential .
Activity Level Patients are encouraged to walk However, bending, lifting, and twisting are usually prohibited for several months or until the surgeon approves Sports are not allowed for at least three months after surgery When activities are resumed, it is recommended to return gradually.
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Second, the angle of the curvature is determined by the doctor. At extreme angles, the surgery can be more prolonged and painful.
Third, a small hole is drilled individually in every bone that connects to another bone, and a screw is drilled into the hole, a metal wire made out of different material is then screwed with the screws.
Fourth, using medical pliers from both sides, the wire is pulled and bring back the spinal cord to the position of 90 degrees on the other side same process is repeated until wires supporting the spinal cord are attached from both sides is completed. Finally, the cut is closed using stitches.
After the surgery, the pain may be numb due to the anesthesia. After that, the pain sets in, and the patient is required to have a bed rest as not to disrupt the spinal cord, followed by regular walking and exercises. Still, everyday activities like bending a lot, driving, and running are prohibited.
| Curvature in Spinal Cord |
| 8 weeks |
Does Waist Shrink After Scoliosis Surgery
However, there is no significant difference in waist position between the post-operative and non-scoliotic groups The change that occurs following scoliosis surgery is towards the range of asymmetries seen in the non-scoliotic group, although surgery does not completely recreate normality.
Behind you make sure when youre sitting in the car you push straight down with your arms to scootMore
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New Research New Possibilities For Scoliosis
On September 14th, 2004, an article was published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders entitled, Scoliosis treatment using a combination of manipulative and rehabilitative therapy, by Mark Morningstar, D.C., Dennis Woggon, D.C., and Gary Lawrence, D.C. In this study, twenty-two scoliosis cases with Cobb angles ranging from 15 to 52 degrees were treated with an experimental rehabilitation protocol involving specific spinal adjustments, exercise therapy, and vibratory stimulation. Three subjects were dismissed from the study for non-compliance. After 4-6 weeks of treatment, the nineteen scoliosis patients who remained had experienced an average reduction in their Cobb angle of 62%. Individually, reduction varied from 8 to 33 degrees. None of the patients Cobb angles increased. The conclusion of the study was that these results warrant further testing of this new protocol. Since this study, we have attempted to understand exactly why such positive results were achieved, and our research has led us to the following theories:
Studies Show The Many Risks Of Scoliosis Surgery
Various studies show that spine surgery has many complications. These risks seem inordinate since spinal surgery does not:
- “cure scoliosis,”
- improve functions of the heart and lungs.
- does not improve quality of life after scoliosis surgery
The following excerpts from various studies fuel our passion for non-surgical spine treatment.
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Less Hardware = Less Complications
Spinal fusion procedures being utilized in the treatment of scoliosis require a lot of surgical hardware. Very long screws, hooks, long rods, and dissection of the entire posterior spinal joint system in order to install the hardware. As everyone knows, the more hardware, pieces, and parts, the more likely the chance for complications and breakage in the future, which is also supported by the published long term data on traditional scoliosis fusion procedures.
Scoliosis tethering requires much less hardware and no destruction of any spinal joint systems. In fact, the only moving parts are a nylon cord that is secured at each and every spinal level making systemic failure of the tether virtually impossible. As stated earlier in this article, long term data on vertebral body tethering isnt yet available, but the minimal used of hardware, lack of invasive spinal joint dissection, and stress being place on a nylon cord, rather than metal rods, is widely expected to outperform the long term complication rates seen in post fusion treated patients.
Posterior Spinal Fusion With Instrumentation
Performed to stop curvature of the spine and achieve permanent correction. The procedure provides permanent stabilization in the corrected position by removing the joints between the vertebrae to be fused.
- All the vertebrae involved in the curve are prepared and bone graft is placed in each space resulting from joint removal.
- Over time , the graft adheres to the vertebral bone, and the operated portion of the spine heals into a solid block of bone which cannot bend, thus eliminating further progression of the curve.
- Typically, in a child who has reached an appropriate age for definitive fusion, instrumentation will also be placed when the fusion is performed. The instrumentation rigidly fixes the spine internally through rods being attached to screws, hooks and wires at multiple sites along the curve so that the corrected position is carefully preserved while the fusion is completed over a 4- to 6-month period.
- Depending on the flexibility of the curve and any preceding treatment , there may even be additional correction of the curve achieved by the application of the instrumentation.
- Often the patient does not need a cast or brace if the internal instrumentation is felt to be adequate at the time of surgery.
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Recovering From Scoliosis Surgery
Spinal fusion for scoliosis is typically classified as a major medical procedure that takes significant time from which to recover. In fact, most patients do not enter the full recovery zone until 6 to 12 months after their procedure. Of course, patients can achieve this timeline more readily if they take all the necessary precautions beforehand and follow doctors orders during the healing process.
To ensure your speediest recovery, have your doctor regularly check up on your progress after your procedure. Remember, the recovery timeline is only a rough estimation of how things will go for the average person. In reality, there could be any number of factors that could inhibit or even advance this process. Therefore, having your health monitored during this time is vitally important. Knowing exactly where you stand during recovery will help you understand which activities you should avoid or embrace.
Quality Of Life Is Not Improved
“Spinal fusion has an isolated negative effect on AIS patients’ quality of life . . . The positive effect of surgery depends on the individual effects of spinal fusion and deformity reduction .”
“Dissecting the effects of spinal fusion and deformity size on quality of life in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis,”
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How Long Does The Surgery Take
Most fusions last from 4 to 8 hours, depending on the size of the patient’s curve and how much of the spine needs to be fused. Some of this time is spent preparing the patient for anesthesia, hooking the patient up to various monitors, and positioning the patient to be as safe and comfortable as possible.
To 2 Weeks After Surgery
As youre regaining your strength during the first 2 weeks of scoliosis surgery recovery, having friends and family members around to help you with daily chores like cleaning, cooking, and shopping for groceries is a must.
While theyre busy helping you, youll be busy with wound care at this stage in the recovery process. To prevent infection, youll need to keep the area dry and clean.
It may be tempting to start applying scar creams as soon as possible, but its best to avoid applying any creams or lotions until the incision is fully healed. Follow your doctors wound care instructions and, when in doubt, ask before applying any other topical solutions.
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Scoliosis Reduction Center X
The Scoliosis Reduction Center uses X-rays on a daily basis to diagnose, assess, and measure our patients scoliosis.
Through our use of the latest digital X-ray technology, we can promise accuracy and minimal exposure to radiation. We rely on small specifically-targeted X-ray machines to assess the spines biomechanical integrity and produce reliable and precise measurements
Ive dedicated my life to the specific study of scoliosis, so Ive performed thousands of scoliosis X-rays over the years. This experience has enabled me to develop strategies for reading scoliosis X-rays more comprehensively than the average health-care practitioner by extension, this ability allows me to craft a more customized and effective treatment plan.
Traditional Scoliosis Treatment Approach
When a person recently diagnosed with scoliosis faces the choice of which treatment approach to commit to, this is a crucial fork in the road of their scoliosis journey. There are two main approaches for patients to choose between: surgical and nonsurgical.
While the traditional approach has been in place for almost as long as the condition itself, this doesnt mean it shouldnt be questioned or improved upon. What we have learned about scoliosis over the years is that just as there is more than one treatment option, there are multiple treatment outcomes.
As mentioned, controlling progression is the driving force behind the traditional scoliosis treatment approach and scoliosis surgery. Thats not to say that managing progression isnt an equally-important component of the approach I offer here at the Scoliosis Reduction Center, but its managed differently as my approach is characterized by a different end goal: correction and function.
Before we talk more about the different outcomes offered through surgical and nonsurgical approaches to treatment, lets make sure there is a clear understanding of what the actual procedure of scoliosis surgery entails.
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