Surgery for Scoliosis: Recovery
Most people stay in the hospital for five to seven days after surgery for
scoliosis. It usually takes three months for everything to fuse. It will also take some time for muscle strength to return.
Surgery for Scoliosis: Risks
Like any surgery, surgery for scoliosis can have complications, which include, but are not limited to:
- Bleeding
- Pain
- Infection
- Implant failure
- Pseuduoarthrosis, or failure of the bones to fuse, resulting in partial loss of correction
- Reaction to anesthesia.
Additional risks of surgery for scoliosis, though rare, include:
- Dislodging a hook
- Fracturing a fused vertebra
- Damaging the spinal cord, which could lead to muscle weakness and bowel or bladder problems.
Surgery for Scoliosis: Questions to Ask
Patients and parents who are thinking about surgery for scoliosis may want to ask the following questions:
- What are the benefits from surgery for scoliosis?
- What are the risks from surgery for scoliosis?
- What techniques will be used for the surgery?
- Is there chronic back pain after surgery for scoliosis?
- What devices will be used to keep the spine stable after surgery?
- How straight will the patient's spine be after surgery for scoliosis?
- How long will the hospital stay be?
- Where will the incisions be made?
- How long will it take to recover from surgery for scoliosis?
- Will the patient's growth be limited?
- How flexible will the spine remain?
- Can the curve worsen or progress after surgery?
- Will additional surgery for scoliosis be likely?
- Will the patient be able to do all the things he or she wants to do following surgery for scoliosis?
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