Two Macau patients suffering from severe scoliosis were able to exercise soon after undergoing successful corrective surgery led by a Beijing team at the Islands Healthcare Complex.
According to a hospital release on Tuesday, the operation served as an example of Macau’s vision: no one with a serious illness should need to leave the city for treatment.
Both patients’ spines were severely deformed, measuring between 50 and 60 degrees. These conditions were said to have been well above the 40‑degree threshold where surgery is advised.
The corrective surgery was particularly challenging because it carried the risk of complications for the two adult patients.
Lead surgeon Zhang Jianguo explained that for adult patients with fully developed bones, rapid straightening could easily damage the spinal cord and cause paralysis in the legs.
In terms of clinical standards, the hospital stated that every tool and material required for the surgery, including corrective screws and bone grafts, was meticulously prepared.
Real‑time neurophysiological monitoring equipment was also deployed to track spinal cord signals and prevent abnormal changes.
‘If the signals showed unusual changes, the team could quickly identify the cause and make adjustments,’ the Tuesday statement read.
‘This helped avoid damage to the spinal nerves and kept the surgery safe and accurate.’
It was also reported that the pair managed to walk again the day after surgery, and both are expected to be discharged within a week.
They will be able to engage in sports in roughly six months.