Like most teenyboppers, 14-year-old Anicia Castelino from Kuwait would fret over what to wear every morning. Not just because she is a trendy teenager, but because of the hump she developed four years back.
Anicia suffered from scoliosis, which is the lateral or sideways curvature of the
spine.
“She would complain of back pain but I ignored it because she would sit for studies till late in the night. It was during her younger sister’s holy communion, for which we got Anicia a well-fitting gown, that the hump showed up prominently,” said Anicia’s mother Meera (40).
The family took Anicia to a local hospital in Kuwait where she began treatment. However, she stopped everything once her exams approached, because of which there was a considerable growth of the hump in the next six months.
“She was advised surgery, but we were scared because it involved the spine. Then one of her friends, who suffered from scoliosis as well, suggested Fortis Hospital where she had, had a successful surgery,” said Meera.
Spine specialist Vikas Gupte and his team examined Anicia and found that she had adolescent onset idiopathic scoliosis, which doesn’t need any particular reason to develop. The team decided to insert pedicle screws instead of hooks or rods.
Anicia was operated on July 1. “We inserted two screws at each vertebra from the third vertebra to the eleventh. These screws are connected to a rod, which gives better support, better correction and doesn't require braces. Post-surgery, Anicia was given one bottle of blood opposed to the five bottles required in the other surgery involving hooks and rods,” added Dr. Gupte.
Anicia began walking within seven days of the surgery.
“Earlier, I wasn't able to play for long because I would tire out easily and would be in pain. But now I can get back to doing what I love and wear what I want to,” said Anicia.