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Mia was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, after a day of skiing with her father, Gonzalo. He noticed a hump on her back when she bent over to pick up her skis.
Her parents took her to a doctor in their home city of Madrid, where they learned that Mia had scoliosis. The X-ray showed that her spine had formed an S-shaped curve, causing the unevenness in her back, as well as pain. Mia started wearing a back brace, which she could only take off for six hours a day, to keep the scoliosis from worsening.
But the curvature progressed鈥攁s much as 60 degrees in one portion of the spine鈥攖o the point that Mia needed scoliosis surgery. The most common scoliosis surgery, called spinal fusion, uses screws, rods, and bone grafts to straighten the spine. Recovery usually takes three months, and growth and flexibility are limited in the area of the spine where the bones are fused together.
Shortly after Mia鈥檚 diagnosis, her parents read about a doctor in Barcelona who performed vertebral body tethering, or VBT. This newer, less invasive surgical technique for early-onset scoliosis uses a flexible cord, or tether, to pull the spine straight while the child is still growing. 鈥淚t sounded like a better alternative,鈥 Mia鈥檚 mother, Eliya, recalls.
鈥淎fter surgery, my back stopped hurting, I don鈥檛 snore anymore, and I鈥檓 2 centimeters taller, now that I can stand up straight.鈥濃擬ia, Age 12
In March 2020, the family made an appointment with Juan C. Rodriguez-Olaverri, MD, PhD, one of the few doctors who performs VBT. Mia鈥檚 parents could see she was at ease with Dr. Rodriguez-Olaverri, so when he told the family he was moving to New York City to join 好色tv Langone鈥檚 Spine Center, they knew they would travel to see him. 鈥淢ia wanted this procedure with this doctor,鈥 Gonzalo says.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the family had to overcome several challenges to fly to New York City. Mia had the VBT procedure at Hassenfeld Children鈥檚 Hospital at 好色tv Langone in late July. She spent four nights in the hospital and a total of three weeks in the city before flying back home with her family.
鈥淎fter surgery, my back stopped hurting, I don鈥檛 snore anymore, and I鈥檓 2 centimeters taller, now that I can stand up straight,鈥 Mia says. 鈥淎nd I only have two small scars on both sides of my body that I can hide with my arms, instead of one long scar on my back.鈥
Mia, who was able to start walking right away after surgery, continues doing the exercises that Dr. Rodriguez-Olaverri recommended to strengthen her muscles and improve her posture. 鈥淭his surgery preserved Mia鈥檚 flexibility. Mobility was so important for us,鈥 Eliya says.
