Replay of
Avoiding Fusion in Early Onset Scoliosis: Growing Rods and the VEPTR (vertical expanding prosthetic titanium ribs)
Treatment option for children suffering from early-onset scoliosis.
December 5, 2007
7:00 PM EST
(00:00 UTC)
From Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, New York, NY
New York, NY – On Wednesday December 5th, join experts from Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian for a live panel discussion on VEPTR and growing rods to treat early onset scoliosis.
Patients with early-onset scoliosis can develop severe, complex
spinal deformity that distorts and reduces the volume of the
thorax. This deformity inhibits the growth of alveoli and
pulmonary arterioles during the critical lung maturation period
between birth and the age of eight. The resulting condition,
thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS), can be a life-threatening
condition that compromises respiratory function and increases
morbidity. It can also cause a significant increase in mortality
rates in affected individuals.
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New York, NY – On Wednesday December 5th, join experts from Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian for a live panel discussion on VEPTR and growing rods to treat early onset scoliosis.
Patients with early-onset scoliosis can develop severe, complex
spinal deformity that distorts and reduces the volume of the
thorax. This deformity inhibits the growth of alveoli and
pulmonary arterioles during the critical lung maturation period
between birth and the age of eight. The resulting condition,
thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS), can be a life-threatening
condition that compromises respiratory function and increases
morbidity. It can also cause a significant increase in mortality
rates in affected individuals.
Growing rods attach to the spine and are affixed to vertebrae at
the top and the bottom. Rods can be placed on either one or both
sides of the spine, and are "grown" over time using a special
mechanism that allows the lengthening to be performed in a
simple outpatient surgery. VEPTR is used to treat absent or
fused ribs, and consists of a titanium brace placed between two
ribs to push them apart, which straightens the spine and opens
a larger space for the lungs and other internal organs to grow.
Like growing rods, VEPTR can be expanded as the patient grows.
