New lease on life for scoliosis sufferers - Two patients receive free corrective surgeries at UHWI

Two patients underwent corrective scoliosis surgery at no cost at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) during a two-day surgical programme involving UHWI clinicians and international non-profit organisation Back to Healing.

All specialised implants required for the procedures were donated, removing a major cost associated with corrective scoliosis surgery.

One of the patients was a 36-year-old woman who had lived with a progressive spinal curve since her teenage years, along with persistent back pain. She underwent spinal fusion with instrumentation to correct the deformity.

Dr Carl Bruce, senior director of clinical services at UHWI, said the donated implants removed a major financial barrier for the patients.

“Corrective scoliosis surgery requires a significant level of expertise, planning and resources, and the implants themselves represent a major part of the cost. Having those implants donated meant we could remove that burden for these patients and provide the level of care their cases required,” Bruce said.

UHWI consultant neurosurgeon Dr Peyton Lawrence was among the local clinicians who performed the surgeries alongside visiting medical professionals.

“No two scoliosis cases are exactly alike. Every decision has to consider the individual deformity, how it has progressed, and what degree of correction can be achieved safely for that patient,” Lawrence said.

The programme also included an education day for surgeons, residents and fellows, with Jamaican trainees working alongside visiting physicians during the surgical sessions, discussing techniques and gaining further exposure to complex spine procedures.

Back to Healing is a United States-based non-profit organisation that supports people affected by scoliosis through access to care, education, advocacy and other support. The organisation is in its third year of conducting work in Jamaica and its second year working with UHWI.

The latest surgeries continue UHWI’s collaboration with Back to Healing, following four scoliosis cases treated at the hospital last year.

The programme supports UHWI’s efforts to expand access to specialised care for patients in Jamaica.