Pioneering treatment gives hope to scoliosis patientsRSS Feed

An innovative procedure designed to treat spinal injury has given hope to children with scoliosis after successfully improving the condition.

Nicky Bartsch was the first child to undergo the procedure at the Alberta Children's Hospital (ACH) in 2004, after being diagnosed with infantile scoliosis.

The surgery hooks a Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR) onto the spine and rib cage to expand the chest, which allows children's lungs and spines to grow.

A VEPTR is made of titanium telescoping rods which hook vertically onto the spine.

"VEPTR allows lungs to grow to larger size so children don't end up with lungs the size of a two-year-old when they’re 10," said ACH paediatric surgeon Dr. David Parsons, who was trained to perform the operation.

Cathy Bartsch, Nicky's mother, told the Calgary Sun how the procedure has enabled her son to enjoy a more normal childhood.

"Being able to see him standing up straight, running around, keeping up with his friends and playing hockey and soccer, I mean, that’s what it's all about," she told the paper.

This comes after it was found by researchers at Duke University and University of North Carolina, that drugs and diagnostic testing are used too much in the treatment of chronic neck pain.

News from Serious Law, award winning spinal injury law firm

Posted by Timothy Walters
 

A new treatment could be effective for spinal injury

01 November 2010

A clinical trial is being conducted to test alternative treatments for painful vertebral compression fractures - a type of spinal injury.Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin are carrying out...

Read More...

Drugs 'overused' to treat chronic neck pain

28 October 2010

Narcotics and diagnostic testing are used too much when dealing with chronic neck pain, found researchers at Duke University and University of North Carolina (UNC).The habit of prescribing drugs for the...

Read More...

New laser spine institute centre opened

25 October 2010

Endoscopic spine surgery company, Laser Spine Institute, has announced that it is to open a new facility which could help those with spinal injury or disorders.The brand new centre in Oklahoma City will...

Read More...