Scoliosis in adults is quite common and becoming more frequent as people are living longer.
“More than half of adults over age 60 have some kind of spinal deformity ranging from small degenerative curves in the spine to more severe conditions that can cause chronic back pain,” said Endeavor Health spine surgeon Lukas Zebala, MD.
An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, scoliosis can result in a C or an S shaped curve in the spine. It’s typically diagnosed in childhood or early adolescence. The curves are often less visible, masked by soft tissue, in adults who are generally heavier than children. In more severe cases, people may lean to one side or the other or have uneven shoulders, hips or waist.
Adults diagnosed with scoliosis fall into one of two groups, explained Dr. Zebala — those with degenerative changes in the spine due to aging and general wear and tear, and those who had idiopathic scoliosis as a child and their spinal curves have increased over time.
Degenerative scoliosis is most frequently seen in the lumbar spine at the lower back and can also be associated with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal.
Many adults who seek treatment for back pain or leg pain/sciatica are actually surprised to learn they have scoliosis, said Dr. Zebala. While children with scoliosis are often treated with braces, this strategy is not effective with adults, whose bones are more rigid and stiff, he added.
For some older patients with leg pain, a minimally invasive decompression surgical procedure can relieve pressure on the nerves in the spine without a larger surgery to correct the scoliosis, said Dr. Zebala.
However, for those with a more aggressive curve and more debilitating back pain, complex surgeries to correct spinal deformities can provide life-changing relief and restore quality of life for otherwise healthy adults.
With increased use of robotic surgical platforms and advanced, real-time imaging providing precise navigation, more minimally invasive techniques are now used in these complex procedures.
“The technology continues to expand and improve, and these surgeries can take less time, with less blood loss, faster recovery and shorter hospitalizations for patients,” said Dr. Zebala.
Correcting spinal deformities can still require major, invasive operations that can take 10 to 12 hours, but the state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technology and fellowship-trained specialists like Dr. Zebala at Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute help return patients suffering from debilitating back pain to an active lifestyle.
“Despite the fact that it is such a big operation, adults with scoliosis who have treatment get better,” said Dr. Zebala. “I have patients in their 60s, 70s and 80s who are thrilled to return to walking, playing with their grandchildren and traveling after surgery.”
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