How Does Minimally Invasive Scoliosis Surgery Work?

Scoliosis — a condition where a C- or S-shaped spinal curvature develops — affects 6-9 million people.

Scoliosis most often emerges in children and adolescents, and it’s an idiopathic condition, meaning its root cause can’t be found. Adults are diagnosed with scoliosis, too, but in much smaller numbers. 

Many cases are mild and need minimal or no treatment, but if a spinal curvature is severe (typically 40 degrees or greater), a surgical solution is necessary. Spinal surgery straightens and stabilizes the spine so individuals can live comfortably again, and with greater mobility.

At Ventura Neurosurgery in Midtown, Ventura, California, Dr. David Westra and Dr. Katherine Wagner are known for their expertise in evaluating patients with scoliosis and performing surgery safely and successfully. 

They’re also proponents of minimally invasive surgery as a treatment option for scoliosis because of the clear benefits it offers patients.

Scoliosis presents life-altering symptoms

When scoliosis isn’t diagnosed and treated early, symptoms escalate, and the spinal curvature can become severe. Symptoms include:

• Back pain
• Struggling to stand upright
• Leg pain
• Leg numbness or weakness
• Weakness in the core muscles
• Visual signs, such as protruding shoulders/ribs, uneven shoulders/waist/hips
• A tendency to lean to one side
• Certain skin changes along the spine may indicate underlying spinal abnormalities that sometimes accompany scoliosis
• Differing leg lengths
• Loss of height

In addition to these symptoms, a host of concerning complications arise from living with scoliosis, including worsening physical deformity, mobility problems, nerve and organ damage, arthritis, and breathing problems.

When scoliosis symptoms are serious and complications emerge, your Ventura Neurosurgery provider will likely recommend surgery.

Minimally invasive surgery as a solution for scoliosis

One of the greatest advances in surgery over the last several decades has been the development of minimally invasive surgery, which requires smaller incisions and utilizes surgical instruments especially designed for this more targeted procedure.

To reach the treatment area, your surgeon works through small tubes and uses a miniature camera or microscope to view your spine clearly.

Because this type of surgery is less invasive, it’s less traumatic to your body overall, and it offers other significant benefits as well:

• Quicker recovery
• A less painful recovery
• Reduced damage to healthy tissue when compared to open surgery
• Reduced blood loss
• Minimal scarring
• Minimized risk of post-surgical infection

During minimally invasive scoliosis surgery, your surgeon inserts metal screws and rods to help stabilize your spine and straighten the curve, but minimally invasive procedures don't require cutting the underlying muscle. 

With the help of minimally invasive scoliosis surgery, the spinal curvature can be corrected and straightened, posture can be restored, and, very importantly, pain can be eased. 

Another encouraging point is that minimally invasive scoliosis surgery has been shown to achieve outcomes comparable to traditional open surgery.

If you’d like to learn more about minimally invasive scoliosis surgery, or minimally invasive surgery as a solution to another condition, please contact our office at 805-590-4365, or reach out to us through our website.