With the help of a new spine correction surgical technique by Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, a teenager suffering from scoliosis was able to walk three days after surgery and return to school in less than two weeks.
GHK made waves on 17 November for being the first private hospital in China and Hong Kong to introduce non-fusion scoliosis surgery by anterior vertebral body tethering (VBT). The minimally invasive procedure results in smaller wounds, less pain and faster recovery, benefiting patients who otherwise only have the option of traditional spine correction treatments. The surgery is expected to help about 10 to 20 patients at GHK each year.
Meanwhile, GHK and its clinical partner The University of Hong Kong have also embarked on a research project to study the long-term clinical effectiveness of VBT on young patients suffering from scoliosis.
Since opening in July 2019, GHK’s Spine Centre has performed around 250 spine surgeries - delivering excellent clinical outcomes, reflected by low complication rates, less postoperative pain, and fast recovery of patients.