Thoracoplasty ONLY

[billz45]

Can you have Thoracoplasty surgery, that is ONLY to remove the rib hump, WITHOUT having any additional scoliosis surgery (i.e. spinal fusion)?

[LindaRacine]

Billz...

Yes, I believe that's possible. However, I'm not sure if an insurance company would approve it, or whether any surgeon would recommend it.

Regards,
Linda

[DaveWolpert]

I'm also not sure any surgeon would perform it without a spinal fusion, because it probably won't help reduce the hump. If you don't first correct the spinal curvature before throacoplasty, your ribs will grow back deformed again, and your hump will probably look just as it did previously.

[Jonny]

I've heard some surgeons are unwilling to perform thoracoplasty without fusion because sometimes it can completely unstabilise unfused curves and make them increase.

[Celia]

Hi Jonny :D

That's a very good point ! I think the ribs act as an internal brace and when the offending ribs are cut off in a thoracoplasty, there is no support for the vertebrae that are curving.




Celia