Death by scoliosis

[dare2care2005]

Is it possible for someone to die from scoliosis?

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

It's very rare, but possible for very severe scoliosis curves to push against the heart and lungs enough to eventually cause death.

Regards,
Linda

[phaden]

My understanding is that this happens only when curves reach 100 degrees or more. With modern treatment (surgical correction is often performed before the curves even get to 50 degrees) one really doesn't see it anymore.

Also, the onset of heart and lung symptoms from severe curvature would be gradual and noticeable -- a person wouldn't suddenly keel over with no warning one day.

Patricia

[spincon58]

Hi,
If anything, I think dying from a scoliosis surgery would happen more than scoliosis without...

[letty]

Connie,

What do you mean?

Letty

[dare2care2005]

thanks for all the replies. the only reason i asked is because i recently developed asthma... or so my doc says. so, i don't know if it's my curves or what

[LindaRacine]

I could be wrong, but I don't think asthma has anything to do with scoliosis. I think it's an environment/allergy thing.

--Linda

[spincon58]

What I'm trying to explain is that when someone has scoli surgery the risk of dealth increases from complication that may arise from that particular surgery....I feel that a death from natural scoliosis in which curves are in excess and causes system failure is far less common than scoliosis complicated from surgery.

[Danite]

Hi everyone,

My spinal surgery was an emergency operation because I could not breath, at first I was in an iron lung until they decided that I required spinal surgery. So I would guess that the answer to this is YES, but at the same time I must agree it is very, very rare today for someone to die from scoliosis because of early signs and treatments for scoliosis. I would agree that is more common for an individual to die from complications due to surgery, and medication for treatment?

[Karen Ocker]

In my case, at age 59 before the revision my curves measured:30 cervical, 80 thoracic and 40 lumbar. The natural loss of lung function with age was accelerated. I developed what is called "restrictive lung disease". This means my scoliosis restricted my lungs and I lost lung tissue. In making my decision for my revision surgery in 2002 another scoliosis sufferer with a similar case to mine advised me not to wait too long(as did my surgeon). In her case they were treating her restrictive lung disease with inhalers. By the time she addressed the scoliosis cause it was too late for her to have surgery and she needs oxygen 24/7. Maybe because I was so curved, in so many places, my lungs were affected sooner.(I never smoked)
It is true that one no longer sees such curves in the US (not true for other countries). My original major curve in 1956 was 100 deg.
Karen

[JillfromCanada]

I did hear about one story in Edmonton, Alberta where a doctor performed surgery on a scoliosis patient. He ended up perfoming 80 surgeries on her spine, and eventually killed her. I'm pretty sure he is now in jail serving time.

In this age, it is not at all normal for Scoliosis surgery to lead to death.

[lorrie]

Let's not panic about the surgery risks. There can be complications from any surgery and any general anaesthetic comes with a risk. However, the chance of severe complications is very low for otherwise healthy people.
My consultant tells me he hasn't lost one to scoliosis surgery yet!

Lorrie