How To Correct Congenital Scoliosis In An Infant With Hemivertebrae Resection

Congenital scoliosis is a rare condition that occurs in the womb. This conditions affects only one in 10,000 newborns. It develops when the vertebrae do not form properly. Your spine has a sideways curvature. This deformity occurs as early as the first six weeks of embryonic formation.

Congenital scoliosis is not a genetic disorder. It is not known what causes this condition. When a child is diagnosed with congenital spine deformity, it is difficult to determine how he or she will progress with age.

For this reason, your doctor may recommend surgery. Here is how hemivertebrae resection can correct congenital spinal curvatures.

Who Should Get This Procedure?

A hemivertebrae resection is performed on children who have a curve in their vertebrae. A normal vertebra is shaped like a rectangle. A hemi vertebra looks like a trapezoid or triangle. It can tilt the base of the spine when located at the bottom of the spine. This results in your child walking with a lean.

You can have a hemi vertebra on several parts of your spine. If your child has several hemi vertebra present, then he or she can develop severe deformity.

How Is the Deformity Corrected?

The hemi vertebra is removable from the back, front, or from both parts of your spine. It depends on your individual condition. After the removal of your vertebra, the bone above and below this location is fused together. Your child must wear a cast or brace after the surgery until his or her spine heals.

A hemivertebrae resection is usually successful in correcting spinal curvatures. However, there are risks. These risks may include nerve damage, excessive bleeding, and neurologic injury.

Do This Condition Affects Your Child's Height?

As a parent, it is common to wonder how congenital scoliosis affects your child's height and quality of life.  This condition can affect growth. For this reason, it is important to choose the right surgery and your child need to have it at the right age.

The right age for surgery is controversial. When the spine is fused together, it can stop growth in that area. The belief is that the surgery should be delayed until the child is between the ages of 10 and 12 years of age. The parts of the spine that was not altered will continue to grow after surgery.

Most parents want to give their children the best chance at being successful. It can be tough to make a decision about your child's health. If you decided to take the surgical approach, then you should work with a very experienced doctor such as C D Denison.