A 42-year-old American woman suffering from idiopathic scoliosis traveled to India to undergo a fusionless scoliosis surgery at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, The Hindu reported April 28.
Daniel Fry was 11 when she was diagnosed with the condition, which recently became increasingly debilitating, and therapeutic care did not provide sufficient relief.
Ms. Fry did not want to have a spinal fusion, which could restrict her movement, according to the report.
"I got to know about fusionless scoliosis surgery and found out that only three surgeons in the U.S. were performing that for adults," she said. The minimally invasive procedure uses a flexible cord to correct the curve of the spine over time, while maintaining flexibility and growth of the spine.
After her insurance refused to pay for the surgery, she connected with Dr. Sajan Hegde, chief spine surgeon and clinical director of the Institute of Robotic and Complex Spine Surgery at Apollo Hospitals, who successfully performed one of the first adult fusionless scoliosis cases in India, according to the report.
Ms. Fry is undergoing physiotherapy and will return to the U.S. soon.