Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Scoliosis is a condition that can affect all three levels of your spine, and it can occur in both children and adults. There are a number of factors that determine what type of treatment is best, but for many people, surgery is the best option. Like all surgeries, an operation to correct scoliosis has number benefits and a couple potential drawbacks. We highlight those pros and cons in today’s blog.

Benefits Of Scoliosis Surgery

Here’s a look at some of the reasons why an operation to address your scoliosis may be in your best interest.

• Corrects All Types of Deformities – The location and severity of the condition can result in a variety of spinal problems, from lateral or saggital displacement to a visible spinal curve. Scoliosis surgery can correct all of these different issues.
• Low Remission Rate – Due to the nature of the procedure, there is a very low likelihood that you’ll experience a recurrence of the scoliosis issue in the same spinal level. Your spine doctor will want to monitor the nearby sections to ensure they aren’t being overstressed following the stabilization procedure.
• Low Stress On Nearby Structures – Depending on the location and severity of the curve, there’s a good chance that your surgeon will be able to use smaller hardware that leaves minimal stress on the nearby bones and structures.
• Minimally Invasive Operation – Some patients may be able to have the procedure performed on a minimally-invasive basis, which reduces the likelihood of complications and speeds up recovery time.
• High Success Rates – The vast majority of patients who undergo scoliosis surgery experience great results and see a noticeable difference in their spine and their pain levels shortly after the operation.

Potential Drawbacks

Every surgery carries some risks, but we think you’ll see that in the right situation, the benefits far exceed the potential drawbacks of scoliosis surgery. Those potential drawbacks include:

• Complex – Depending on the nature of the curve and the age of the patient, scoliosis surgery can be complex. That being said, Dr. Sinicropi has performed thousands of corrective procedures, and he’s confident he can successfully handle whatever your spine needs may be.
• Slow Healing – Again, this depends on the type of operation and severity of the curve, and although you’ll probably notice a positive visual change in your spine shortly after surgery, the journey to a full recovery after a surgery is a little bit longer than most minimally invasive operations, but it’s worth it in the end.
• Stress on Nearby Segments – In cases where a large curve was fused, there’s a decent chance that the nearby spinal sections will have to handle the stress that was originally on that segment. Doctors are careful to monitor nearby spinal segments for stability, but that stress needs to be displaced somewhere, and it could potentially affect other spinal vertebrae.

In the end, the benefits of scoliosis surgery almost always outweigh any potential drawbacks, but talk with your doctor for a personal assessment. You can set one up with Dr. Sinicropi by calling his office today.

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