Scoliosis Surgery for Adolescents
SCOLIOSIS – AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Adolescent scoliosis corrective surgery is a specialized form of surgery performed by exclusively trained surgeons who have extensive knowledge of disorders and conditions associated with the spinal column and spinal cord. Over the years spine reconstruction techniques have advanced and presently the techniques involve the use of cutting edge technologies such as robot-assisted spine surgery. Usually patients with major deformity or misalignment of the spine require complex spinal reconstruction surgery involving correction of the abnormal curvature and stabilizing the newly shaped. Dr. Richard Francis has become one of the true leaders in the scoliosis care and treatment ‐ for women, men, and children. He is also one of the few surgeons in the nation that performs scoliosis revision surgery and reconstructive surgery on children and adults who have had unsuccessful treatment in the past. The recent addition of Mazor Robotics surgical guidance system is just another example of Dr. Francis’ leadership role in seeking out and adopting advanced technologies that place additional options on the table when deciding on the best course of treatment for each individual patient.
Are you ready to get back to normal? To meet with Dr. Francis and learn more about our surgery techniques and whether surgery is an option for your pain relief, request a consultation in Houston or Beaumont. Or you can call us at 1-713-383-7100 to schedule your appointment.
Scoliosis Correction with Robotic Guidance
Conservative or Surgical Treatment?
For milder cases, physicians may recommend conservative (i.e. nonsurgical) treatment such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. If the symptoms become debilitating or the pain becomes intolerable despite conservative treatment, scoliosis surgery to straighten and fuse the spine may become necessary. This is achieved by placing implants, such as screws and rods, in and along the spine to fixate it, and adding bone grafts and specialized spacers between the vertebrae to facilitate the fusion of the bones together.
Advantages of Scoliosis Surgery with Mazor Robotics
Surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis requires planning and precision. Each scoliotic curvature has unique challenges, and often the patient’s vertebrae are deformed, twisted and abnormally small, which makes for a challenging surgery. Renaissance® provides increased safety and precision in scoliosis surgery. It allows Dr. Francis to plan ahead before entering the operating room; Mazor Robotics advanced 3D planning software is used before surgery to create the ideal procedure for each patient’s condition. During the operation, Dr. Francis does the actual work; Renaissance® guides his tools according to the predetermined blueprint to place the implants safely and with the highest level of accuracy in the exact planned locations.
A clinical study presented at a Pediatric Society of North America (POSNA) conference reported 99.6 percent clinical acceptance of screws placed in 120 adolescent scoliotic surgery cases performed with Mazor Robotics Renaissance® Guidance System.1
GO WITH THE TEAM THAT YOU TRUST
It makes sense to seek multiple opinions from specialists when you’re considering a possible spinal operation. Almost all of our patients do exactly that, and in the end, they come to us. There are multiple reasons why, but it is largely about trust. Our reputation has been built upon patient successes and real results, repeated many times over many years. We invite you to read the success stories from our patients to learn about our approach and their outcomes firsthand.
