Back on the Feet

A Successful Case of a Back Deformity Correction

THE CASE

A 12-year old girl with ‘hunched back’ deformity since birth was brought to BLK Super Speciality Hospital. She had undergone surgery with a failed attempt at correction of her deformity in her native place almost a year back. Following the surgery, few months later she started having immense back pain with progressive increase of hump and diffi culty in walking. Radiological investigations showed broken implants in situ with protrusion and tenting of the skin with evidence of progressive kyphotic deformity and congenital formation defect in spine (hemi vertebrae D11,12).

THE PROCEDURE

Under neuro monitoring guidance, the following procedures were performed for back correction - implant removal, posterior extended instrumentation of dorsolumbar spine and corpectomy of D11 and D12 with expandable cage implantation and spinal column reconstruction with attempted fusion.

Revision of deformity correction surgery is always more critical than the fi rst surgery. Removal of broken implants and spinal defect (hemi vertebrae) excision while preserving spinal cord function throughout to prevent future reoccurrence was not an easy task. Possibility of excessive blood loss due to previous scarring was also a big challenge. But the doctors ensured 360 degree straightening with zero error approach to achieve alignment correction of the spine while protecting the spinal cord.

THE RESULT

Post-operative X-ray reports showed signifi cant correction and excellent restoration of alignment. The patient was ambulated within 2 days post surgery and is back to her school 4 weeks later.

Dr. Puneet Girdhar
Director − Spine Surgery

Dr. Bhupendra Bharti
Associate Consultant

BLK Centre for Orthopaedics,
Joint Reconstruction & Spine
Surgery
BLK Super Speciality
Hospital, New Delhi