Tess Gets Things Straightened Out

When you’re 13 years old, a scoliosis diagnosis can feel like more of an inconvenience than a lifelong problem.

“I was in my rebellious years,” said Tess. “I didn’t want to wear a brace.” 

But as Tess got older, starting a family and a career as a teacher, the curvature of her spine created problems, making walking and even standing for a few minutes extremely painful. She couldn’t lift or carry her kids.

Physical therapy and pain injections weren’t successful, so her neurosurgeons at Memorial Neuroscience Institute, Clinton Burkett, MD, and David Smolar, MD, performed a thoracal lumbar fusion. The procedure uses screws and rods to fuse the spine from the ribcage to the pelvis.

Using 3D navigation, Drs. Burkett and Smolar worked together, speeding the process with less time under anesthesia, fewer complications and a faster recovery for Tess.

“Everything was wonderful,” said Tess. “I didn’t need rehab or physical therapy. I have my life back, and it’s really good just to be normal.”