Are there other procedures used to correct the spine of a patient who has Scoliosis?

Question

My brother has a spinal condition called Scoliosis. His doctor told him that he would have to have surgery as soon as possible before the curve in his spinal gets worse. My brother told me that the surgeon who is going to perform the surgery on his spine is going to use bones from a cadaver. The cadaver bones are going to replace the disks (bones) that are damaged. My mother was upset about the news and told my brother that his uncle had neck surgery recently. The surgeon used cadaver bones to replace a certain section of bones in his neck. After the surgery he has not been the same since. 



I remember last month I was a watching a UFC match on spike TV. One of the fighters had a serve back injury and out for months. He advertised a company called Proflex ( I believe that is the name, but I am not sure) on his shorts. After he won the fight, he begin talking about the company and how they design this device to replace a disk in his back.

researcher · Accepted Answer

The company that was advertised was Synthes and the disc replacement device was called Pro-disc.  Another company that has one is DePuy, and theirs is called Charite.

In the US, Pro-disc is only FDA approved for one level replacement.  Some doctors in the US have done 2 levels, but insurance companies will not cover the second level.  The indication for total disc replacement is for degenerative disc disease.  These devices are NOT to be used to treat scoliosis.  You will NOT find a surgeon who will put one in a scoliosis patient.  Pro-disc has been available in the US for about a year and a half for lumbar levels and for about 8 months for cervical levels. 

When surgically treating scoliosis, a large, multi-level fusion is performed.  This is usually in the thoracic spine.  (There is no disc replacement device available for thoracic spine as of today.)  Not all doctors replace the interbody (disc space) with cadaver bone, your own illiac crest bone, PEEK (plastic cage), or titanium cages.  Usually with scoliosis cases, just hooks, screws, and rods are used.  Then either your own bone, (the spinus processes or illiac crest), or cadaver cancellous bone chips are placed around the hardware to encourage a better fusion.  Sometimes, no extra bone is added.  It is all patient specific....how good their bone quality is...but your brother's doctor already told him that he would use cadaver bone in some of the disc spaces...so that would be specific to him.  He could go for a second opinion to ease his mind.  

Just because your uncle had a not so stellar outcome, doesn't mean that your brother will.  Your brother is not having a neck fusion.  Your uncle didn't have scoliosis.  Cervical degenerative disc disease (your uncle) is different from scoliosis (your brother).  Did your uncle have the same surgeon as your brother's?  

Granted, the surgery your brother is about it have is a huge surgery.  It is a long recovery as well.  But, if conservative measures (wearing a scoliosis brace) are not working, surgery is the only option left.  If it continues to curve, it will start to compromise internal organs and their functions.  It will also lead to more pain and disfiguring.  

It is better to get it done sooner than later.  BTW... How old is your brother?  Younger patients tend to fair much better with surgery than older folks.  I'm guessing that he is under 25 since many of the moderate to severe scoliosis patients usually have the surgery by that age.  

Best wishes to your brother. For the piece of mind, it wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion.  His surgeon may have even already recommended another opinion.

Swan Song · Answer

As a child, I developed mild scoliosis from poor posture. I corrected the problem myself by standing very straight. I expect your brothers case is considerably more advanced since the doctor recommended surgery. With ANY surgery, always get a second or even third opinion. Different doctors have different ideas, and you should never have surgery based on the opinion of one surgeon.

river_dance · Answer

Actually, I myself have scoliosis. My condition is severe, but my spine isn't crooked enough to have it operated on. I'm too afraid to have it operated on anyway. I was advised to wear a brace and do sports that would strengthen my back muscles, like ballet and swimming. They helped a lot and now, the degree of the curve in my spine was lessened. I think that if the curve isn't obvious, there is no need to have it operated on, but I'm not a doctor so you can't take my word for it. Hope that helps :) Sorry if it didn't.

P.S. The degree of my curve used to be around 18 degrees or so. I'm not so sure, but the last time I was x-rayed, it was around 10-13 degrees. Swimming helps :) Sorry if I didn't help that much.

geralyn · Answer

my brother had it, the left side of two of his vertibrae were not growing, they opened up his hip area to shave bone off, this was then used to pack up(like mortar) the two vert. that weren't growing, they also drilled out the other side of the two vert. so as the body would concentrate on repairing this, and not growing in size. He had this done at the age of 4, recovered very quickly(2-3 months)

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Are there other procedures used to correct the spine of a patient who has Scoliosis?

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