Spinal reconstruction surgery may be necessary for patients who have a deformity or misalignment that affects a major portion of the spine.
The procedure involves more than one level of the spine and corrects significant spinal deformities, stabilizes the newly shaped spine with rods and pins, and fuses the vertebrae together. In some cases, entire vertebrae are removed and replaced with artificial devices to replace the diseased segment. The most common conditions to be treated with spinal reconstruction are scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and kyphosis.
During spinal reconstruction, UPMC neurosurgeons use a variety of surgical techniques, depending on the extent of the deformity. Minimally invasive surgery, artificial disc replacement, endoscopy, stereotactic spine radiosurgery, kyphoplasty, spinal fusion, and other surgical procedures may all be performed.
