In a way it is a very good reply, and encouraging in that they give a very balanced view and there is surely no case of being encouraged to jump on the band wagon.
Their wait and see advice is based on current knowledge that the majority of curves round the 20 degrees will not progress, so by bracing you have a fair chance you go through a lot of effort and costs for no benefit. I do not know the exact figures (somebody will), but I guess there is a 1 in 5 chance of progression (help! anybody??)
Still, encouraging, he states very clearly that although he has little experience with scoliosis sec to chiari, there is no theoretical reason it should not work and the few cases he has done have been very succesful. So no discouragement there!
He leaves the ball in your court, leaving i t to you to make your own decision based on the facts he has given you. And there are advantages and disadvantages to each decision.
1) Not to brace advantages; no cost, no time lost, no inconvenient brace to wear, 80% (?) chance she'll be ok anyway
2) to brace advantages; peace of mind, possible improvement from current 23 degrees, possible avoidance of progression and future surgery
Hard one to call; neither decision would necessarily be a wrong one as there certainly is no certainty.
Their wait and see advice is based on current knowledge that the majority of curves round the 20 degrees will not progress, so by bracing you have a fair chance you go through a lot of effort and costs for no benefit. I do not know the exact figures (somebody will), but I guess there is a 1 in 5 chance of progression (help! anybody??)
Still, encouraging, he states very clearly that although he has little experience with scoliosis sec to chiari, there is no theoretical reason it should not work and the few cases he has done have been very succesful. So no discouragement there!
He leaves the ball in your court, leaving i t to you to make your own decision based on the facts he has given you. And there are advantages and disadvantages to each decision.
1) Not to brace advantages; no cost, no time lost, no inconvenient brace to wear, 80% (?) chance she'll be ok anyway
2) to brace advantages; peace of mind, possible improvement from current 23 degrees, possible avoidance of progression and future surgery
Hard one to call; neither decision would necessarily be a wrong one as there certainly is no certainty.
Comment