Scoliosis Growth Rod Surgery

Surgery is recommended for children that have not stopped growing yet and when bracing or casting has been unable to stop the progression of the curve. These curves are usually greater than 50 degrees.

Growth Rod Surgery

Since these patients still have a lot of growth remaining, they require a growth-friendly procedure. They will have a surgery called growing rod surgery. This is when one or two rods are surgically placed and they are attached to the vertebrae above and below the curve. The patient is then required to return to the operating room every six months, so the growing rods can be expanded and allowed to continue to guide the growth of the spine.

Some patients who require growth rod surgery may be eligible for a surgery that uses the MAGEC growth rods. Theses rods are surgically placed in the operating room and they are magnetically adjustable. These rods can be painlessly expanded in the doctor’s office with a small handheld magnetic device.

Length of Hospital Stay

Patients with the surgery will be admitted to the hospital after surgery. The average length of stay is 1 to 3 days for an initial growth rod insertion. When your child has a revision, they are typically require a shorter stay.