Hyderabad  – Scoliosis, a curvature of the Spine, affects approximately 7-10% of the population in India. This condition, while prevalent, can significantly impact daily activities such as walking, lifting, and exercising, especially among children. Recent advancements in Spine surgery have provided successful treatment options for many cases, yet complex scenarios continue to pose challenges.

In a recent case at Arete Hospitals, a 12-year-old girl with severe Scoliosis and Neurofibromatosis Type I presented a unique challenge to the medical team due to the multiple complexities and associated complications. This young girl’s condition had severely deteriorated, affecting her ability to breathe and eat comfortably, and hindering her day-to-day tasks. Many surgeons declined her case due to the associated risks, but at Arete Hospitals, a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Venkata Ramakrishna T, Head of Spine Surgery, rose to the challenge.

The severity of her Scoliosis had compressed vital organs like the Kidneys, Lungs, and Stomach, leading to further complications. Under the expert guidance of Dr Venkata Ramakrishna T and the multidisciplinary team, which included Neurosurgeons, Anaesthesiologists, Neuro-monitoring specialists, as well as backup support from ICU team, Cardiothoracic and Gastro Surgeons, an 11-hour surgical procedure was conducted successfully.

The results were nothing short of remarkable. Following the surgery, the young girl exhibited immediate improvement in breathing, food intake, and even experienced a surprising 4-inch increase in height. Just three days post-surgery, she was able to walk, underscoring the success of the intervention and offering hope for a significantly improved quality of life.

Dr Venkata Ramakrishna T, Head – Department of Spine Surgery, Institute of Neurosciences said, “In Scoliosis, degree of curvature matters, impacting not only the Spine but also vital organs, making our surgical intervention all the more critical for restoring health and function. It’s a privilege to have a multidisciplinary team at Arete Hospitals that can come together to tackle challenges head-on, ultimately changing lives for the better.

Dr Pavan Kumar Reddy N, Medical Director and Head of Department, Department of Critical Care Medicine said, “We are pleased to witness the successful outcome of this case. My heartfelt congratulations to Dr Venkata Ramakrishna and the team of consultants who have greatly supported this case. Arete Hospitals is a brand new facility in Hyderabad which is making strides in solving complex and complicated cases in the city of Hyderabad. Within just 6 months of operation, we have successfully completed 600 surgeries. Our vision is to make medicine not only about medical expertise but also about empathy and mindfulness.

Dr Venkata Ramakrishna T was assisted by Dr Ramakrishna Chowdhary, Head – Department of Neurosurgery and Dr Raveesh Sunkara, Consultant Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurosciences. Anaesthesia support was provided by Dr Anagani Kamala Devi, HOD, Department of Anaesthesiology and Dr Vittal Rao Kavuri, Consultant Anesthesiology.