Scoliosis Surgery / Robotic Scoliosis

Scoliosis surgery is performed to correct progressive lateral curvature of the spine in adolescents and adults when bracing has failed or when the curve exceeds about 45-50 degrees on standing radiographs. The standard operation is posterior instrumented spinal fusion, in which titanium pedicle screws and rods anchor the vertebrae while bone graft promotes solid bony fusion across the corrected segments. Anterior, combined anterior-posterior, and vertebral body tethering approaches are reserved for selected cases. Robotic and navigation-assisted spinal surgery has expanded internationally. Pre-operative CT-based planning and intraoperative imaging guide a robotic arm that aligns the surgeon's drill or screwdriver along the planned pedicle trajectory, improving screw accuracy and reducing fluoroscopy exposure. NHS specialist centres such as the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Great Ormond Street perform high volumes of paediatric and adult scoliosis surgery. The operation typically takes 4-8 hours under general anaesthesia with intraoperative neuromonitoring of spinal cord function. NHS patient information indicates that patients are usually ready to leave hospital from four days after surgery and can return to work or school in four to six weeks. International patients typically remain in-country for 10-14 days for wound check, mobilisation and brace fitting if required. Surgery successfully corrects curvature in the majority of cases and prevents progression. Sources: NHS, NHS Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, NICE.