Poster Presentation Sydney Spinal Symposium 2024

Establishing a Comprehensive Care Paradigm: Insights from a Specialised Combined Scoliosis Clinic in Australia (#38)

Alisha Sial 1 , Stone Sima 2 , Froukje Koremans 2 , Lauren Barber 3 , Alper Yataganbaba 4 , Raj Narulla 2 , Brian Hsu 4 , Bhisham Singh 4 , Vinay Kulkarni 1 , Ashish Diwan 1
  1. Spine Service at St George and Sutherland Clincal School at UNSW, Bruce, ACT, Australia
  2. Spine Labs, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Orthopaedic Surgery, Virginia Christian University , Richmond, VA, USA
  4. Orthopaedics, NSW Spine Specialists, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Introduction:
Orthopaedic spine surgery, particularly for adult spinal deformity, demands extensive expertise due to its complex pathologies. Surgical success hinges on precise planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and advanced techniques to correct deformities and restore spinal alignment.

Methodology:
This study investigates the efficacy of a Combined Monthly Scoliosis Clinic initiated in April 2022 at Spine Service, St George Private Hospital. The clinic integrates adult and pediatric spine surgeons from Sydney, aiming to provide specialized care and educational opportunities. Patient assessments include physical evaluations and tailored imaging, with treatment strategies discussed collaboratively among surgeons.

Results:
Over an 18-month period, the clinic assessed 41 patients (average age 50.4 years; 61.0% female) with diverse spinal conditions. Treatment approaches varied, encompassing spinal fusion, decompression, and conservative management tailored to individual pathologies such as idiopathic scoliosis and degenerative disc disease.

Conclusion:
The Combined Monthly Scoliosis Clinic exemplifies a comprehensive model for managing complex spinal deformities. It emphasizes collaborative diagnostics, personalized treatment planning, and continuous educational enhancement for trainees and fellows. Patient outcomes underscore the clinic’s effectiveness in improving quality of life through tailored interventions. This integrated approach sets a benchmark for global spine care centers, ensuring optimal patient-centric care and advancing clinical standards through ongoing feedback and adaptation.