Spinal Fusion Surgery Recovery Time & Risks

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What is the recovery time, & what risks are associated w/ scoliosis spinal fusion surgery? Are any alternatives available?

Traditional surgery & treatment options involve fusing the spine together with rods & screws. Scoliosis is an unnatural spinal; curvature with rotation. This curvature is measured by the minimal cobb angle of 10 degrees or greater. Surgery involves fusing the most tilted vertebrae to the most tilted below, fusing it to one solid bone while using bone graft, & using rods & screws to hold it in place until the bone grows.

Traditional approaches recommend watching and waiting & holding off on treatment of the curve until it worsens, at which point the recommended treatment is spinal fusion surgery.

One of the associated risks of surgery & why people tend to avoid it is that it limits the function of the spine. The spine is no longer able to move as intended. It can also lead to infection during the surgery. It can cause nerve damage while adding the screws or removing the bone fragments. Excessive blood loss to the point of needing a transfusion which has its own separate risks. Pain at the fusion site & the hardware can fail or cause an allergic reaction which can require subsequent surgeries over your lifetime.

Some patients may also experience side effects. Loss of spinal function is the number one side effect. While the spine may be straighter, it is with a cost as you can no longer move that area of the spine as originally intended leading to slower movements, lesser range of motion, & flexibility of the area. It can also lead to some nerve damage, pain, adverse reaction to the hardware, or even falling over time. Curves can progress beyond surgery; since all vertebrae cannot be fused, the ones below or above the fusion may continue to progress over time or with growth.

It is important to consider all the risks & benefits when considering spinal surgery. It is not simply having a straighter spine with no adverse effects nor recovery time. As with any other surgery, there are significant side effects & risks. Not only do you have these risks immediately, but you also have recovery time ahead. As we know that every case is different, but most cases are initially medicated for the pain they will face in the weeks following the surgery, & as this patient continues, they will have restrictions, such as no heavy lifting or bending, they have commonly weaned off their medication at about six weeks after their initial checkup two weeks after the surgery to evaluate that everything is holding up in place.

Can scoliosis be treated non-surgically?

With a conservative proactive approach the smaller you treat the scoliosis, the more likely you are to avoid surgery. This treatment is typically associated with custom plans guided by addressing the underlying structure of the spine to try to reduce the curve & not just react to it while it worsens. Trying to reduce it while it is small leads to a better patient outcome.

The majority of patients do exactly what we've discussed, little treatment when the curve was small, & now the curve has progressed to the point surgery is recommended, & they now want to avoid surgery. The average patient tends to have a 45-65 degree curve on the cobb angle, but at 20-30 degrees, a much better result is obtained. Because we use multiple condition-specific treatment options integrated to develop a multi-level treatment option chiropractic care, office therapy, rehab, self-corrective exercise, customized prescribed bracing to help reduce the curve & deformity we see in a person's body, as well as SSE (scoliosis-specific exercises) that are designed for that person's specific scoliosis.

With all these things combined as one, nothing is working against each other, & a better corrective approach can be provided without needing to be as invasive as scoliosis surgery.

At the Scoliosis Reduction Center, this conservative approach uses multiple forms of treatment coordinated under one office, so everything is combined in a way to provide the best options possible, & we normally say that if this doesn't work, then you can look over surgery if it was previously recommended to you.

You can learn more about this topic here:
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00:00 Scoliosis Spinal Fusion Surgery
00:23 Traditional Surgery & Treatment Options
01:13 Main Scoliosis Treatments
01:55 Associated Risks Of Surgery
03:00 Potential Side Effects
04:05 What To Consider When Considering Spinal Surgery
05:20 Can Scoliosis Be Treated Non-Surgically?
06:16 Multi-Level Treatment Option
07:16 When Treatment Is Not Effective

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