Scoliosis Treatment in Turkey

Get correct your posture by professional hands!

Scoliosis treatment is one of the most popular surgeries performed in Turkey. Every year, 10,000s of patients from every country in the world prefer Istanbul for scoliosis surgery to eliminate the problem of spinal curvature as known as scoliosis. The presence of high-tech hospitals, the experience of doctors and their teams, the developed health tourism organization in Turkey and the high success rate of the operation, have made Istanbul a pioneer and leader in scoliosis treatment.

What is Scoliosis

Our spine, which extends between our legs and our head, consists of bones called vertebrae and is like a strong bridge that carries our body weight to a large extent. Our spine, which extends between our legs and our head, is made up of bones called vertebrae. These bones have the chance to hold on to each other thanks to joints, discs or ligaments. The spinal cord, which is considered the most important element of the central nervous system, is also located in this region. A healthy spine affects our movements and quality of life in a very positive way.

Our spine should be straight when viewed from front to back or back to front. When viewed from the side, there are physiological, or normal, curvatures. When viewed from front to back, the curvature of the spine is called scoliosis. The most common is Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

This condition is usually noticed by parents. This obvious curvature in the spine towards the side begins during puberty. Approximately 3 out of every 100 adolescents in the world face this problem.

In scoliosis, the curvature is over 10 degrees. In a healthy spine, the vertebrae extend downwards in a straight line in the back section. In scoliosis, this straight line begins to deteriorate and the vertebrae begin to shift to the right and left over time. Structural scoliosis, which occurs when the vertebrae rotate around their own axis, shifts occur in the rib cage, chest and even the hip region in addition to the spine.

Scoliosis, which causes both posture and serious visual impairment, causes more serious results as age progresses. The frequency of occurrence in girls is at least 3-4 times higher than in boys, although it varies according to age and degree of curvature. If the curvature is not treated, it can progress too much. It is also possible to benefit from modern methods developed throughout the historical process with early diagnosis.

What are the symptoms of scoliosis?

Scoliosis generally does not cause a serious health problem in the early stages. Therefore, although deformities may be visible during adolescence, the quality of life is not yet completely under threat. The symptoms and effects of scoliosis begin to be reflected more clearly in adulthood. In the early stages, although very rarely, certain back pains may be encountered.

Among the most important symptoms of scoliosis is that one of the shoulders is slightly higher than the other. The shoulders may shift to the right or left. The same applies to the hip area itself. Waist indentation asymmetry and rib elevation (protrusion) on the back are among the most important findings. On the other hand, certain problems in terms of equality in the posture of the shoulder blades may come to the fore.

If a child has scoliosis, there will be an elevation in the back or waist. This elevation will also be in the form of a protrusion. Sometimes, skin color changes may also occur during this disorder.

Other symptoms can be listed as follows:

• Visible curvatures in the spine
• Asymmetry in the shoulder and hip
• Shortness of breath (in very advanced curvatures)
• Back and shoulder pain
• Clothes not fitting the body

Curvatures that exceed 50 degrees also cause respiratory problems. If not diagnosed early, other health problems may also occur.

What are the types of scoliosis?

Scoliosis formations are divided into four basic classes depending on their causes. We can list these as idiopathic scoliosis, neuromuscular scoliosis, congenital scoliosis and degenerative scoliosis.

Idiopathic scoliosis

It is considered one of the most common types of scoliosis. It is also the type whose cause cannot be fully determined. The rotation of the vertebrae around themselves is also seen in idiopathic scoliosis. For this reason, protrusions are observed in the back or waist areas. These protrusions are usually asymmetrical. It is very common in girls during puberty.

Neuromuscular scoliosis

The most common type after idiopathic scoliosis is neuromuscular scoliosis. Its causes include muscular or nervous diseases. Its causes are most likely spinal cord or brain-related. Sensory deficits occur much more frequently during this period. During the treatment phase, the use of a corset may not be preferred due to some special reasons. We can show epileptic seizures among these special reasons. Surgical procedures can be performed at a relatively early age in this type of scoliosis.

Congenital scoliosis

Congenital scoliosis can occur during the development of the baby in the womb. It can be caused by spinal anomalies in particular. In the early years, the disorder can progress rapidly in general. For this reason, even when detected at an early age, surgical operation can be applied. During this process, there is no gender discrimination when deciding on surgical operation. The causes of congenital scoliosis cannot be fully explained. It is known to be caused by some events that occur during embryo development processes.

It would be correct to evaluate all three types separately for children and adults. Determining your scoliosis type plays a vital role in treatment planning.

What are the degrees of scoliosis?

When it comes to scoliosis, it will not be possible to talk about standard curvature values throughout the disorder. In scoliosis, degrees may change over time depending on certain reasons. For example, the curvature in the spine may unfortunately progress further or, rarely, remain constant.

Apart from double curvatures, female gender and curvatures in the back are even more effective in terms of the progression of the degree. The progression rate is generally low in curvatures below 30 degrees.

Imaging methods are used to determine the degree of angular scoliosis. During the imaging process, the angle of curvature that has occurred in the spine is detected. This degree can be decisive, especially when deciding on surgical interventions.

For example, angles of 10 degrees and below generally do not have a negative effect on the person's health. These are not called scoliosis, they are just called curvature. Nevertheless, the patient should come for check-ups at certain intervals in order to prevent possible risks.

Angles between 10 and 40 degrees are generally seen during adolescence. These degrees are called mild scoliosis. 40-70 degrees and above mean that the curvature has reached a moderate level. Curvatures above 70 degrees are considered serious curvatures. Curvatures above 40 degrees are suitable degrees for surgical intervention.

Scoliosis Surgery

Surgery is considered an important option in the treatment of scoliosis; however, if no improvement is detected in the patient after a certain period of monitoring despite exercise methods and the presence of a corset, it may be possible to turn to the option of surgery depending on the degree of the curvature. Since degrees such as 40-50 begin to seriously threaten the person's quality of life in the future, surgery is resorted to when these levels are reached.

Of course, the angle of the curvature alone is not the only factor in the decision to undergo surgery. In addition, the decision is made according to the patient's mood, age and other special health problems. Curvatures in adolescence usually do not harm the heart or lung systems; however, it is not easy to say this for older ages.

There are two different approaches before surgery. We can list them as posterior and anterior intervention. For posterior intervention, the back region is used entirely. As a result of surgical methods, it is aimed to stop the progression of the curvature and to obtain the best possible cosmetic appearance. It is important to protect the spinal cord during the surgery. For this, a neuromonitor must be used. The communication between the patient and the doctor during and after scoliosis treatment lasts for many years. After the surgery, the spine's ability to stretch is relatively reduced. In frontal approaches, work is mostly carried out in the armpit areas and the necessary intervention is carried out by lifting the rib cage. In this approach, the use of a corset is required during the rest of the surgery. However, the spine can remain in a relatively more mobile structure and at the same time, it can create a significant advantage since the stitch marks will remain under the armpit.

There is no specific age range for the surgery. The decision on this issue is entirely made by the specialist doctor. Scoliosis surgery can generally last between 4 and 7 hours depending on the patient's condition. Longer surgeries are performed according to the patient's needs. A regular exercise program is created after the surgery and the patient is followed for many years.

TravelMEDI partners with a medical team experienced and performs the spin surgery in Turkey's most prestigious hospital. We provide hospitalization in a room with high comfort and technology. We follow the entire process by our patient coordinators by explaining the examinations to be carried out before the surgery, the devices, medications and other medical necessities used during and after the surgery to the patient in a complete transparent way.

Scoliosis Surgery Questions