About six million people in the U.S. have scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine.
When left untreated it can get worse and cause chronic back pain.
Bonnie Wilson is walking tall today, but she suffered with severe scoliosis for years.
"I was bent to one side,” said Wilson.
She tried everything from nerve blocks to cortisone shots, but the intense back pain persisted.
"They'd always say one to ten and I would say 50, 20, I don't know it was terrible,” said Wilson. “It was off the chart."
Dr. Andrew Cannestra, a neurosurgeon at Baptist Medical Center, was able to straighten Bonnie's back through a two-part surgery using new robot technology known as the Mazor Robotics Renaissance Guidance System, and a 3D map of the spine.
"It's precise, said Dr. Cannestra. “It's accurate, and I can maximize the size of the screw I put in there. That then allows me to exert as much force on the spine as possible to straighten the spine."
The robot technology can be used to help with other spine conditions like fractures, reconstructive spine surgery, degenerative disc disease and herniated discs.
The new technology has also been used for bilateral deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease.
Bonnie went from having a 38 degree curve, down to eight degrees.
"She has very close to a normal curvature of her spine now," said Dr. Cannestra.
Now an inch taller, "Clothing fits normally, sitting is normal,” said Bonnie. “I don't' have all those muscles getting tired from being leaned one way or the other."
Source: WNDU, 30th Jan 2015
Source: WNDU, 30th Jan 2015
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