Who is a Candidate for Scoliosis Surgery?

The Baylor Scoliosis Center treats both pediatric and adult patients with varying degrees of curvatures and side effects. The prognosis for most children is generally very good. The majority of pediatric scoliosis patients may not need complex treatments, but they do need to be evaluated. Often a child need only be monitored for four to six months or possibly not at all.

Adult patients, particularly females, face more challenges. There are three main types of adult patients who may be candidates for surgery. Some patients have large curves with no pain but, statistically, the probability of their disease progressing is 80 or 90 percent if left untreated. Treatment for patients such as these is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Other, predominantly female patients faced an increase in their curve only after pregnancy. While not proven, there may be some link in the increase in progesterone during pregnancy and the loosening of the ligaments necessary for pregnancy and delivery. Some women who experience a change in their curves after pregnancy begin to experience pain related to their scoliosis.

Other patients, again predominately women, began with a small curve that continued throughout adulthood that does not seem to be related to pregnancy or other factors and are experiencing debilitating pain and deformity.

Adults with scoliosis are often candidates for surgery simply to manage or attempt to prevent pain, as well as correct the physical deformity. Many people facing these conditions can have their scoliosis repaired through surgery, however, it is a serious surgery and at the Baylor Scoliosis Center, each individual patients situation is taken into account and risks and benefits are discussed with each patient. Dr. Shelokov and the staff specialize in scoliosis surgeries and want each patient to have a complete understanding of the risks and the intended outcome.