Two little girls with severe scoliosis of 104 and 128 degrees, who had been rejected by many places because of high risk, were recently operated on by doctors at Children’s Hospital 1, helping them grow nearly 10 cm taller.
On December 2, a representative of Children’s Hospital 1 said that after surgery, Lam (12 years old) and Tuyet (13 years old, Xe Dang ethnic group) can stand straight, walk steadily, lie comfortably on their backs and breathe easily. These are two very severe cases of scoliosis, which were refused treatment by many medical facilities due to the high risk of complications.
The angle of Tuyet’s scoliosis before surgery prevented her from lying on her back. Image: Doctor provided
MSc.BS.CK2 Dang Khai Minh, Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, said the team decided to apply “two-stage surgery” to rescue the spine for pediatric patients. This is the first time the hospital has deployed this technique for severe scoliosis cases. In the first phase, the doctor cuts the joint, places pedicle screws and uses the Halo frame to stretch the spine continuously for 2-4 weeks to help the spinal cord adapt. In phase two, the surgeon performs correction with a vertical bar and fixes the bone. The process has professional support from Associate Professor, Dr. Vo Quang Dinh Nam, Head of the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Ho Chi Minh City Orthopedics Hospital.
In the case of baby Lam, he was hospitalized with a crooked angle that rapidly increased from 78 to 104 degrees in just 7 months, threatening spinal cord compression, causing paralysis and respiratory failure. The surgery faced many challenges because the patient had myasthenia gravis, chromosomal mutations and was at risk of malignant high fever, cardiac arrest or blood clotting disorders right on the operating table. The patient’s mother was trembling and did not dare to sign the surgery commitment form.
To ensure safety, Dr. Phan Huynh Bao Nghi, Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation, and his team came up with many backup plans and prepared special drugs to control body temperature. After two major surgeries lasting 12 hours, doctors were able to control the anesthesia well, helping the baby safely pass through death’s door. From being able to only sleep on his stomach, baby Lam is now living normally.
The second patient, Tuyet, was admitted to the hospital with severe malnutrition (weighing only 28 kg), with a 128-degree spinal curvature, causing obvious kyphosis and limited breathing. Previously, a charity organization planned to take the baby to Australia for treatment, but after consultation, experts decided to keep the surgery in Vietnam.
Before surgery, the doctor had to provide intensive nutritional treatment for 4 months to help the baby gain 3 kg to be healthy enough to endure the surgery. After two surgical interventions, Tuyet’s height increased from 130 cm to 140 cm. All treatment costs are funded by the hospital’s strong sponsorship campaign.
According to Dr. Minh, the success of the surgeries is also thanks to the application of the ERAS program (early recovery after surgery). The hospital optimizes nutrition, psychology, minimally invasive anesthesia to multi-modal pain control, helping pediatric patients to be extubated early and return to mobility after just a few days.
Baby Lam talked with doctors Dang Khai Minh and Phan Huynh Bao Nghi, December 2. Image: Le Phuong
Idiopathic scoliosis often progresses silently and worsens during puberty. The doctor recommends that parents need to carefully observe their children. If they see signs of shoulder deviation or hunchback when bending, they should take them to a pediatric orthopedics specialist as soon as possible. With curvature less than 20 degrees, children only need physical therapy; From 20 to 45 degrees, you need to wear a bra; Above 45 degrees, consider surgery. Early detection helps children avoid dangerous major surgeries.
From 2022 until now, Children’s Hospital 1 has operated on more than 30 scoliosis cases, aiming to become a specialized pediatric spine surgery center in Ho Chi Minh City, capable of handling difficult cases.