Mum who took daughter to Germany for life-changing spinal surgery calls for treatment to be available on NHS

A Chessington mum who took her 15-year-old daughter to Germany for "life-changing" treatment is calling for the same surgery to be made available on the NHS.

Daniela Cavalli, of Lofthouse Place, noticed her daughter Stefania’s back looked abnormal in November 2016, and after a visit to the doctor discovered she had severe scoliosis and needed surgery.

She said: “We’d never even heard of scoliosis. It was quite a shock; I thought it would just need some exercises or a brace.

“She had been getting daily back aches, but we put it down to posture and being flat-footed. It had started to become really bad over the previous few months.

“Stef would go shopping with her friends, but she could only stay for an hour. She couldn’t even get on a bus; she would call me and ask for a lift.”

Until recently, St George’s Hospital in Tooting offered certain patients the option of vertebral body tethering (VBT), a relatively new procedure.

It involves screws being fixed along a cord in the patient’s back, and the operation is reversible in the case that it doesn’t work.

Mrs Cavalli said: “We had the option of fusion surgery, but that would have given her mobility issues. VBT is non-invasive – still horrendous, but much better.”

The family searched the internet for places to have the surgery, but could not afford the £180,000 it would have taken to have the double VBT operation to correct Stefania’s ‘S-curve’ in the US.

In July, Simon Cowell paid for Britain’s Got Talent finalist Julia Carlile, 15, to have the same operation to avoid fusion surgery that would have left her unable to dance again.

Eventually Stefania’s family found Dr Trobisch to operate on Stefania at Eifelklinik, Simmerath, Germany, and she went to have the procedure on July 12.

She is now making a quick recovery, and will be returning to Tolworth Girls School in September.

Mrs Cavalli said: “She could go back to full sports now, only four weeks on. She could be doing backflips after eight weeks. With fusion surgery, which would take a whole year to recover from, she would not be able to do half the things non-fusion surgery allows.

“We know we’ve taken a risk. The maturity of her spine was an issue; it works best on younger children whose spines are still growing, but there are other kids around the world who have had this operation and are absolutely fine.

“The biggest issue now is that it’s uncomfortable for her to sit on a chair for too long as a result of the surgery. Other than that, she’s doing really well.

“The surgery has been life-changing. Without an operation, she would have probably become wheelchair-bound.”

Now she wants to build momentum for VBT trials to resume in the UK, to allow other children the chance for the procedure their families might not be able to afford to take them abroad for.

“I want VBT to be available on the NHS, and I’m hoping more awareness can really move it forward.

“The NHS has been really supportive. The doctor at St George's said it was our decision and he has said he will do all our follow-up consultations. That has been a huge relief. But I think the surgery should be available here.”

A statement from the British Scoliosis Society said that although there have been positive early results for VBT, the technique needs to be introduced in a ‘controlled and responsible way’, and results should be monitored ‘for many years before any decision regarding wider adoption’.



Source : Surrey Comet , 11th August 2017 

Apollo Hospitals: Centre of clinical excellence

Two leading medical professionals from the group elaborate on Spine Surgery and the Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme

Apollo Hospitals, established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, is India's first corporate hospital, and has emerged as Asia's foremost integrated healthcare services provider. It has a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, including hospitals, pharmacies, primary care and diagnostic clinics.

Two leading medical professionals from the group elaborate on Spine Surgery at group hospitals and the Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme at the Hyderabad hospital. Excerpts: Dr. Sajan K. Hegde, Chief Spine Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Group

Technology changing spine surgery

Spine Surgery has evolved from being one of the most complex surgical interventions to a technology-based and enabled surgical procedure.We have pioneered minimally invasive spine surgery in India and this would mean, smaller incisions, less trauma to tissues, faster healing, less chances of infection and faster relief. It also adds to lesser hospital stay, less cost and of course quicker return to normal life.

Choosing an appropriate spine care centre

A patient or his/ her family has to look at the track record of the hospital, profile of the surgeon, technology at use and support services, while choosing an appropriate spine care centre. Add to this an adequate clinical bandwidth supported by cardiac anaesthetist, well qualified neuro physicians, advanced CT/MRI etc.

Robotics in spine surgery

The most commonly used robotics in spine surgery is Renaissance Robotic Guidance system; we have introduced the same in India. The next level will have interventional robotics. We do have Da Vince Robotics at Apollo, which we use in Onco surgeries, Uro etc., but however not in Spine.

Need to be aware of Scoliosis

Scoliosis shows up most often during growth spurts, usually when children are between 10 and 15 years old. About the same number of boys and girls are diagnosed with minor idiopathic scoliosis. But curves in girls are 10 times more likely to get worse and may need to be treated.

Spine care centre

We have established an advanced Institute of Spine Surgery, which is backed up by an eminent team. I have pioneered various spine interventions including the usage of shape memory alloy, first charite disc replacement, first mazor robotic spine surgery; our full-fledged rehab unit has robotic rehab equipment.

Dr Manish Verma, Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary- Pancreatic Unit, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad

Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad: Redefining Benchmarks in Transplantation

Apollo group has been the frontrunner in the field of organ transplantation in India. The transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad started over two decades ago. In addition to being one of the oldest transplant programmes in the region, the hospital has been astute in adopting the most modern and up-to-date medical protocols, and has consistently remained abreast with the latest developmentsin medical science. Presently, transplantation of the Liver, Kidney, Heart, Lung, Pancreas, and Cornea are routinely performed at the hospital. With about 300 transplants performed in 2016, this is one of the high volume transplant centres of India.

Liver Transplant programme

The liver transplant programme is one of the most successful in the world. Live Donor Liver transplants are routinely performed with excellent outcomes, both for adults and children. A multidisciplinary team of doctors consisting of transplant surgeons, hepatologists, anesthesia and critical care specialists, infectious diseases specialists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, psychiatrists and psychologists take care of the patients.

The greatest achievement of the multi-organ transplant programme is the success of the liver transplant operations. With less than 5 per cent peri-operative mortality for live donor liver transplantation for patient with cirrhosis, this is one of the most successful liver transplant programmes of the world.

Our record in donor safety is impeccable with all our live donors getting discharged within 8-10 days of surgery. With least complication rates, re-exploration rates, short hospital stay, and long term survival, our centre, consistently outperforms others in terms of clinical parameters.

In addition to being a centre of clinical excellence, the liver transplant programme is a leader in research and innovation.

Source : Khaleej Times , 14th August 2017

Posture warning for children with head down in gadgets

More than 67 percent of children and youngsters have bad posture, with a quarter of them suffering from abnormally curved spine as more people play with smartphones and tablets from a young age.

Children Chiropractic Foundation interviewed 1,392 youths aged 16 or below from last September to this month, and found nearly 66 percent suffered from hunchback, 43 percent from unequal shoulder height, and 24 percent from scoliosis.

Chiropractor Jacky Chan Yat-sang, honorary adviser of the foundation, said hunchback and unequal shoulder height are common symptoms of spine problems.

"The spinal cord connects the brain to nerves throughout the body," Chan said.

"If the problems are not identified at an early stage, it could lead to bone spurs and other diseases."

A study by the Department of Health earlier this year found that children start using smartphones at one year old.

Chan said the way children stare at the phones increases the stress on their neck, as they usually drop their chins on to the chest. For example, the weight on the neck increases to 27 kilograms when the head is angled down to about 60 degrees.

He said the screen of electronic devices should be held at eye level to make sure the neck and spine are aligned.

Children who need to sit in front of the computer for a long time or over 45 minutes should make sure they sit upright with their back and shoulders against the back of the chair. The feet should also be placed comfortably on the floor to avoid leaning forward, which would lead to hunchback.

Lam, a father of two, said he did not notice his children had mild scoliosis until he took them for a check-up by chiropractors. "I noticed that they have poor sitting posture, but my kids never complained to me about any unusual pain, so I wasn't aware of the problem," he said.

People with scoliosis have a spine that curves to the side, showing an "S" or a "C" instead of a straight line, Chan said.

Very often, cases of scoliosis go unnoticed as pain is rarely involved at the beginning. Parents should check by eye for the symptoms of unequal shoulder height and hunchback by asking their children to stand straight. They should also take their children to scoliosis screening every six months, so that early referral to specialists can be made, Chan added.

Source : The Standard , 21st August 2017

Vineland girl holds garage sale for SickKids hospital

It was a big day for 11-year-old Victoria Bridger.

Victoria Bridger, 11, held a garage sale and BBQ as a fundraiser for SickKids Hospital, where she recieved a life-changing surgery to ease pressure from her spinal cord. 

The driveway of her family home in Vineland was lined with furniture, knick-knacks, hockey skates and lamps.

Her brother milled about the goods, picking up an old fire extinguisher, laughing.

Her dad dipped freshly steamed cobs of corn into a jar of butter, serving them to a number of families that came out to the garage sale that Victoria organized.

It was a family affair — after recovering from an intensive surgery at SickKids hospital this year, Victoria decided to give back by holding a fundraiser.

With the help of her mum, dad and brother, Victoria put a slew of items out for sale, and held a barbecue alongside.

“Victoria was diagnosed with a congenital birth defect in November,” said her mother, Maria Bridger. “The base of her skull was too small.”

Victoria was diagnosed with a condition called Chiari decompression malformation, which put pressure on her spinal cord, resulting in scoliosis.

She was getting frequent headaches, and within weeks, her parents noticed a distinct difference in the curvature of her spine.

Doctors at SickKids hospital performed a surgery on Victoria to ease the pressure and she spent a few weeks there recovering.

Source : Niagarathisweek , 21st August 2017

Simran calls for help

LIKE other young girls Simran Dutt has plans for the future and part of her plan is to      become a dietitian, but the young Muaniweni lass is faced with an obstacle which requires assistance from members of the public.

16 year old Simran Dutt (centre) is suffering from a congenital malformation as is pleading for support. She is pictured here with her mother Sarita Kumari (right) and aunt Geeta Lata. 

Simran was born with an outward curvature known as thoraco-lumbar kyphosis or hunchback and needs $18,000 to travel to Hawaii for corrective surgery.

In order to achieve her dream, Simran needs to be operated on by surgeons at the Shriners Children's Hospital in Hawaii and the window of opportunity for that much needed operation is in October.

"The doctors told my family, that this is the only time I can get the operation because when I reach the age of 20, they cannot operate on me," she said.

"So I'm hopeful that I will be able to raise the funds in order to travel to Hawaii."

The Year 11 student of Bhawani Dayal Arya College has been forced to sit for long hours in school, something she detests because sitting for long hours causes her immense pain.

"My back hurts me so much, when I sit for long hours. And I don't have a choice but to be in school," Simran said with a smile.

Her CWM Hospital medical report stated she was "worked up" in the orthopaedic clinic since 2015 with a history of lower back swelling, pain and the symptoms have been progressing and is getting worse.

Simran's mother, Sarita Kumari, said they need only $18,000 for accommodation costs as they will have to be in Hawaii for three months or more depending on her daughter's recovery.

Fijians wishing to assist Simran can do so by depositing funds into her bank account. ANZ Bank account # 9344238.



Source : The Fiji Times Online , 23rd August 2017 

Airwheel mini electric scooter is the most environmentally-friendly and fashionable one

Recently, a study demonstrates that the ones, who likes riding, love to do exercise, and they are more likely keeping positive mind towards their daily life. Among riding sports, Airwheel self-balancing electric scooter is fashionable and technological. Especially, it has been a lifestyle gradually which is eco-conscious and beneficial for bodybuilding.

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As we know, the office workers are busy with the work all day long, almost having no energy and time to go to the gym. If things continue that way, undoubtedly their body would be weaker and even be eaten up with diseases finally. Someone may ride a commuter bike to work for doing exercise, but it would make them exhausted and lower work efficiency in the day time. Luckily, Airwheel mini electric scooter provides a best transportation for workers to do exercise every day.



From the aspect of low carbon travel, powered by electricity, Airwheel eco-friendly electric scooter will not exert your energy excessively. Adopting imported lithium-ion battery, which guarantees a large power capacity and a long range, it makes possible the long-distance trip in the city. Even if it was far from the office, Airwheel would take you there as soon as possible.



Do you have time to do exercise? Insisting on riding every day, people will definitely experience the improvement of balancing ability and collaborating capacity of body. Moreover, kyphosis and scoliosis could be corrected by riding an Airwheel electric drift hoverboard in proper posture. Are you tired of traffic jam every day? When exhausting work is done, everyone would be more perturbed to be stuck in traffic. However, Airwheel users never worry about that. Small body and sensitive system provide you with agile and quick riding experience, like the R5 and E3 folding e bikes. Riding across the crowd of cars, you would find that pressure disappears gradually and fatigue vanishes imperceptibly. If things go on like this, everyone will face life with optimism.



Compared with the people who use other traffic means, people who likes riding feel happier about their lives. With Airwheel folding electric scooter, people will greatly enhance their happiness index.

Media Contact

Company Name: Airwheel Holding Limited

Contact Person: Eric

Email: business@airwheel.net

Phone: +8618651968700

Country: United States

Website: http://www.airwheel.net

Source : DIGITAL JOURNAL 

Doctor Wears Back Brace To Better Understand Scoliosis Patients

 A doctor at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, RMHC, has spent a week learning what life is like for his young patients who must wear a back brace.

Dr. Jaren Riley, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, has been wearing a back brace much like the ones he prescribes to treat scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine.

Dr. Jaren Riley being fitted with a back brace (credit: Rocky Mtn. Hospital for Children)

It hasn’t been easy, but what he’s learned has made it all worthwhile.

“I feel like a tube of toothpaste that has the last little bit of toothpaste in it and someone’s trying to squeeze it out of me,” said Riley.

Dr. Jaren Riley (credit: CBS)

For seven days now, the surgeon has challenged himself to walk in the shoes of his young patients.

“It is eye opening to say the least,” Riley told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

CBS4’s Kathy Walsh interviewsDr. Jaren Riley (credit: CBS)

He has been wearing the stiff, plastic, back brace for 18 hours a day.

“It comes up way up into the armpit to get a good push on the side chest wall,” he explained.

Dr. Jaren Riley (credit: CBS)

Riley prescribes the braces for his patients with scoliosis to keep the curve in their spines from getting worse and to try to avoid surgery.

Now, when fearful patients, the majority 12-year-old girls, ask what it’s like wearing a brace, the doctor can speak from experience.

(credit: CBS)

“It’s hot and it gets in your way,” he said.

He demonstrated how it limits the wearer.

(credit: CBS)

“You can’t really bend over and get it you kind of have to get down like this,” Riley said. “Instead of being able to turn around this way, I actually have to turn my whole self around.”

(credit: CBS)

Riley now understands the tears he sees in his clinic.

“It gave me a lot of respect for these kids who do not complain and really tough their way through it,” he said.

Dr. Jaren Riley (credit: Rocky Mtn. Hospital for Children)

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the brace experiment ends.

“I am shamefacedly admitting that I am really am looking forward to taking it off,” Riley said.

Dr. Jaren Riley (credit: CBS)

The doctor will now take on a new challenge, coming up with a better way to treat scoliosis.

Some patients wear the brace for up to three years to prevent the curvature of the spine from worsening.




Source : CBS Denver , 15 Aug 2017 

New SpineScreen app helps parents detect signs of scoliosis in kids : TAMPA,FLA

Parents can now check their child's spine for possible signs of scoliosis with the new app SpineScreen developed by Shriners Hospitals for Children. Available for free on the App Store and Google Play, SpineScreen detects curves as the cell phone is moved along a child's back, giving parents a quick, informal way to regularly monitor their child's spine.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that can restrict movement and in some cases lead to other serious medical conditions. It is most commonly diagnosed between 10 and 15 years of age, when children grow rapidly. Some cases, however, can go undetected. At this point in a child's life, fewer vaccinations are required, so they may see a doctor less often. Since early detection is crucial, Shriners Hospitals physicians encourage parents to download the free SpineScreen app and check kids as part of their back-to-school routine each year. 

Video Link : http://katu.com/news/local/app-could-detect-earliest-signs-of-scoliosis



"Because there is often no known cause, monitoring for scoliosis is an important part of a child's ongoing health care," says Amer Samdani, M.D., chief of surgery for Shriners Hospitals for Children — Philadelphia. He adds, "It is a progressive condition, so early detection is key. At Shriners Hospitals, our care ranges from routine monitoring to some of the most advanced treatments for scoliosis. The earlier we see a child, the more options we have available."

Shriners Hospitals created the app as part of a broader initiative to highlight the importance of regular screenings and to educate parents on the signs of scoliosis and treatment options. 

"With doctors and staff who are global leaders in the treatment of scoliosis care, parents turn to Shriners Hospitals for Children because they know their children will receive the best care possible," Gary Bergenske, chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospitals for Children. "Since scoliosis usually requires ongoing medical treatment throughout childhood, our commitment to provide care regardless of the families' ability to pay is a huge relief to parents."

Source : New Kerala , 15 Aug 2017 

International Conference of Spine Surgeons begins in Thiruvananthapuram

Former president of Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI) and Indian Orthopedic Association Dr S Rajasekaran said that spinal disorders constitute one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. More than eighty percent of the adult population experience a back or neck pain attributable to a spinal condition during their lifetime. He was speaking at the three-day International conference on Spine health and Care which began at the Leela Kovalam here on Friday.

Eminent Faculty from across the country and abroad, including researchers and experts in treatment of Spinal disorders and interventions started deliberations on a wide spectrum of spinal conditions, latest scientific and technological advancements in the field and the best treatment methodologies. The conference is organised by the Trivandrum Spine Society along with Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI), one of the largest professional organisation of Spine Surgeons globally.

"Unhealthy lifestyle and work conditions have led to a high prevalence of these problems in India. Spinal disorders have a direct adverse impact on the productive years of life. He reiterated that these need to be addressed as a public health issue. It is all the more important to be aware that that most conditions are treatable non-surgically and surgically with good long term outcome, Rajasekaran said. Dr. K.V.Menon, organising chairman and Dr. Ranjith Unnikrishnan, organising secretary spoke in the inaugural session.

The conference is giving special focus on long term outcome of different spinal treatment modalities. Dr. Ranjith Unnikrishnan, spine specialist at KIMS Hospital Thiruvananthapuram said that human spine, subjected to daily stress, loses flexibility and discs start degenerating. People should make conscious effort to ensure that their day to day activities do not take a toll on their spine subjecting it to unusual and undesirable wear and tear. Health sector need to create awareness so that people with recurring back pain, aches and joint stiffness would come forward for proper diagnosis and corrective treatment at an early stage.

The conference, on its first day, saw case studies and deliberations on treatment options for spinal conditions mostly affecting adults and those in aging process like wearing down of Inter Vertebral disc (Degenerative disc disease), shrinking and narrowing of spinal canal (Spinal Stenosis), Disc prolapse, Spinal arthritis, Degenerative Spondylosthesis (vertebra slips forward due to weak joints and ligaments of spine and loses alignment) and Compression fractures.

The three-day scientific sessions include talks, workshops and seminars on surgical and minimal invasive options for all major conditions affecting spine including Spinal Trauma, Infections, TB spine, Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression fractures, Tumors, Thoracic Disc Herniations, Paediatric Spinal Deformity, Adolescent Scoliosis, Supra Axial Spine and Adult Spinal deformity.

Some of the leading international faculty attending the Conference are Dr. Kyung-Soo Suk, Professor Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yonsei University, Korea, Jong-Beom Park, Professor and Director of Spine Surgery Department of Orthopaedic surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, Dr. Jin Sup Yeom, Proffesor, Department of Orthopaedic surgery, Seoul National University, Korea and Dr. Senthil T. Nathan, Special Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dubai.

Source : Times Of India , 11th Aug 2017