ISSUE 2 | Thursday, 12 October 2017 | EUROSPINE2017.EU
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Living with Scoliosis: An Inspiring Story Deidre McDonnell, diagnosed with scoliosis as an infant, has defeated all odds and became the first adult ever to undergo a MAGEC rod operation – a pioneering procedure also known as the magnetic expansion control system which involves the surgical insertion of magnetic rods into the spine.
Miss McDonnell, would you give us an overview of your story? I was born with kyphosis scoliosis – a spine curvature disorder characterised by an abnormally rounded upper back. When I was born, my parents were told that I had only three days to live, as scoliosis hadn‘t been as well researched as it is today. I had my first spinal surgery at seven weeks old and even though it was a success and my childhood days were mostly unproblematic, my family was told that I would never walk and would suffer from severe medical problems. Up until age 21, I had to undergo various surgeries and suffered from chest infections and other medical problems, but my condition was far better than expected and I was able to walk from an early age on. After being diagnosed with respiratory failure, resulting in a lung function below 30 percent as well as a highly increased heart rate, I was told that I had a low life expectancy without
undergoing spinal surgery but were afraid to perform any procedure due to the prospect of fatal outcomes. You are the first adult to get MAGEC rod operation – an operation which magnetically straightens the spine but was only thought to be suitable for small children. How has your life changed since this treatment? The MAGEC system suggested by one of my surgeons, but it had previously only been done on children. However, we decided to give it a go since we were running out of alter-natives. Magnetic, adjustable growing rods are screwed into the spine which can later be controlled externally with a remote controller. The outcome had been uncertain, especially as the risks ranged from paralysis to death, but the results were outstanding and surprised the whole team involved. I went from a 120-degree-curve to a 62-degree-curve overnight.
get my spine adjusted. As of today, my curve is around 32 degrees and my lung function has gone up to 61 percent. You are a member of “Straight Ahead” – a medical support group for children with orthopaedic conditions. What is your goal with this charity? Pat Kiely, one of my Paediatric Orthopaedic surgeons, founded “Straight Ahead” to help small children with different types of scoliosis who are in danger of deterioration while being on waiting lists for different kinds of orthopaedic surgeries. In 2011 Kiely had learned of a patient who wasn‘t able to get surgery due to financial reasons, so he decided to go public with their story and received an anonymous donation, covering the whole operation. Since then Kiely and the “Straight Ahead” team have successfully performed over 120 surgeries pro bono.
After this surgery, I‘ve been going back as an outpatient periodically to
WORLD SPINE Day Every year on 16 October people from all around the world join together on World Spine Day to raise awareness about spinal disorders. World Spine Day, part of the Bone and Joint Decade’s Action Week, has been successful in bringing together professionals and organisations from many disciplines. Since 2012 the event has grown in momentum and with that was able to provide a forum for ongoing discussion about the burden of spinal disorders and the sharing of best practices.
EUROSPINE is an official supporter of World Spine Day. This years motto is “your back in action” to highlight the importance of physical activity and improving posture as part of good spinal health and prevention of injury. Upload a picture of a physical activity and use this year’s hashtag #yourbackinaction to raise awareness on this issue on social media platEUROSPINE PAtient Day forms. Visit the website of the World Federation of Chiropractic which is On Tuesday, 10 October 2017, over hosting a competition with various 100 people, 15 of them children prizes open to individuals worldwide. including newborns, attended the EUROSPINE Patient Day at the Convention Center Dublin. A free public information day where international medical experts talked about the human spine and spine
diseases. Renowned spine experts from Ireland – such as Pat Kiely (Orthopaedic Surgeon) and Tamar Pincus (Chair of the Patient Line Committee) – presented treatment options, gave expert advice and also answered the countless questions of a very engaged audience.