The gift of fewer (surgeries)

In mid-December, a few patients gathered in Boston Children’s Hospital’s Orthopedic Center to celebrate the gift of less. Eleven-year-old Abby and 7-year-olds David and Jessica were among the first patients in the United States to have MAGEC (MAGnetic Expansion Control) surgery, a new way to treat some types of scoliosis. Most patients with early-onset scoliosis like Abby, David and Jessica have surgery to place rods in their spine. But it’s not a one-shot deal. An orthopedic surgeon must replace rods as the child outgrows them, meaning another operation every year or so. MAGEC rods are different. First, they’re magnetic. Second, they’re remote controlled. And third, Boston Children’s orthopedic surgeons can periodically lengthen the rods as a child grows—and keep the child’s spine straight—without surgery. “This technology gives us the opportunity to perform a procedure that would historically require a trip to the operating room. While the MAGEC rods cannot be used in all patients with early-onset scoliosis, in those where it can be used, it can reduce the family stress, time and risks of repeat trips to the operating room under anesthesia,” says Michael Glotzbecker, MD, orthopedic surgeon in Boston Children’s Orthopedic Center. How MAGEC scoliosis rods work After an ultrasound technician measures the patient’s spine, the surgeon uses a remote control to lengthen the rods. It makes whirring and clicking sounds for a few seconds, an...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Source Type: news