Using screws to correct a teenager’s crooked spine

Tu went to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination in the condition that his shoulders were very misaligned, difficulty stretching, and pain when vigorously moving. X-ray results showed that the patient’s spine was severely curved to both sides, with signs of lung compression.

Dr. BS.CKII Tran Quang Hien, Head of the Spine Surgery Department, said that if treatment is delayed, Tu is at risk of body deformity, limited movement, chronic back pain, easy fatigue due to heart and lung compression, and even shortened life expectancy.

The surgical team opened a long incision. behind the patient’s back, adjust the vertebrae to the correct position, screw in and connect together with a metal bar to stabilize the spine in the scoliosis area.

To ensure maximum spinal adjustment without damaging the spinal cord, preventing the risk of paralysis, doctors use a machine to monitor spinal cord function during surgery, keep the patient safe, and preserve motor function.

On the second day after surgery, Tu can stand up on his own, his shoulders are balanced, his body shape and height have improved significantly. The patient was instructed to practice physical therapy and was discharged from the hospital after a week in a comfortable condition, no longer in pain, and able to walk and do light activities on his own. The doctor predicts that after about 3 months, Tu can restore normal activities.

Doctor Hien said that scoliosis in children is often idiopathic, but some factors can increase the risk of the disease such as sitting in a chair that is too high or too low compared to the child’s height, incorrect sitting posture (bending the back, leaning, leaning the chin when studying or leaning the chest on the desk…) causing the spine to be subjected to incorrect pressure for a long time. Carrying a school bag that is too heavy on one shoulder can cause the spine to tilt, causing curvature over time…

The disease often progresses silently. If not detected, the level of curvature can increase by 1-3 degrees each year, leading to spinal degeneration, causing chronic back pain and many other complications. Many children with scoliosis are only discovered when the disease is severe.

Screening is an effective way to reduce the risk of spinal deformity or surgery. Parents should periodically screen their children, especially when the family has a history of scoliosis or the child has symptoms of uneven hips or shoulders… To prevent the disease, children should be encouraged to be physically active, reduce time using electronic devices and improve posture when studying.

In cases of confirmed disease, parents need to monitor and ensure the child complies with the doctor’s instructions to effectively improve the disease. If surgery is required, the patient should intervene early. The right time for scoliosis surgery is the summer vacation so children have time to recover before starting the new school year.