Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis

Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis

Surgery Overview

Scoliosis is a problem with the curve in the spine. Some curves in the spine are normal. But sometimes a spine makes a large curve from side to side in the shape of the letter "S" or the letter "C." If this curve is severe, it can cause pain and make it hard to breathe. Spinal fusion is surgery that helps straighten the curves. It can relieve pain, make breathing easier, and give the spine a more normal appearance.

In spinal fusion for scoliosis, rods, hooks, wires, or screws are attached to the curved part of the backbone, and the spine is straightened. Small pieces of bone, called grafts, are then put over the spine. Bone for grafts is often taken from other parts of the body, like the hipbone. The grafts will grow together with the spinal bone, fusing it into the proper position. Spinal fusion is major surgery. It usually takes several hours to complete.

Different techniques can be used to do spinal fusion. But the basic procedure is the same.

The surgical technique most often used to straighten and stabilize the spine is to do surgery from the back. This is called the posterior approach.

What To Expect

What To Expect

Antibiotics to prevent infection are usually given at the start of surgery.

Most people spend several days in the hospital after surgery. They slowly increase their movement over those several days. Depending on which technique was used, some people may be fitted for a brace. But this is much less common now than in the past.

By the time a person leaves the hospital after surgery, they may be able to dress, bathe, feed themself, and walk around. A child may not return to school for a month or more.

Medicine used to reduce pain will be gradually decreased over a few weeks.

Activity

After surgery, it's important to avoid any extreme bending, twisting, stooping, or lifting of objects that weigh more than 10 lb (4.5 kg). You can expect to spend the first weeks at home with rest periods now and then throughout the day.

Activities that could jar the spine—such as competitive sports, ice skating, roller skating, and skiing (water or snow)—are restricted for several months. Cycling and swimming can often be resumed in a few months as long as you don't need a brace or cast.

Why It Is Done

Why It Is Done

Surgery may be done if:

  • Your child has a moderate to severe curve or yours is severe, and the curve is getting worse.
  • You have pain or trouble doing your daily activities.
  • Bracing can't be used or doesn't work.

Other factors considered before surgery include:

  • Age, skeletal age, and status of puberty.
  • Location of the curve.

Surgery may be considered in some situations, such as:

  • An adult who has trouble breathing or who has disabling back pain caused by scoliosis.
  • A very young child who has a severe spinal curve.

Experts have different opinions about the timing of surgery to treat scoliosis in young children. Some experts believe that surgery should be delayed until the child is older. That's because surgery stops the growth of the part of the spine that is fused. But in some situations, early surgery can't be avoided.

How Well It Works

How Well It Works

Whether surgery is successful depends on many factors, including the flexibility of the curve and the technique that was used.

Multiple-hook, multiple-screws (that may also include hooks), and double-rod systems improve the shape of the spine and back as seen from the back and side.

The goal of surgery is not a perfectly straight spine but a balanced one, in which fusion prevents the curve from getting worse.

After surgery, back pain in adults usually gets better or goes away.

Risks

Risks

Risks of surgery include neurological complications, infection, and lung problems.

Surgery in an adult carries a higher rate of complications and risks than in a child or teen, including blood clots, infection, and neurological complications.

Other risks of surgery

Early complications of surgery include the following:

  • Collapse of a small portion of the lung is a possible problem after surgery. Frequent turning of the person and deep breathing and coughing help prevent this.
  • Deep wound infections are rare but may require another surgery.

Late complications after surgery include the following:

  • Back pain.
  • Failure of the fusion. A rod or instrument that breaks usually indicates that not enough bone has formed to fully fuse the bones together. But if there is no pain and the curve seems stable, a broken rod does not need to be removed.
  • Loss of lumbar lordosis (flat-back syndrome). Loss of the normal curve in the low back causes the upper body to tilt forward, so standing up straight is hard to do. It takes more energy to stand this way, and that can lead to fatigue in the upper back. Some people bend their hips and knees a little to help them straighten up, which can lead to pain around those joints. And there can be severe pain in the upper back, lower neck, and areas of the low back that were not fused.
  • Although neurological complications are rare, they can occur. To reduce the risk, most centers use intraoperative electronic monitoring of spinal cord functioning.

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details