Can the rods break?
One of the myths about modern scoliosis surgeries is that the rods break. While this may be theoretically possible given some significant manufacturing defect in the rod’s construction, the rods are incredibly strong and do not break unless the underlying spinal fusion was not solid. If the vertebrae are not successfully fused together, the hooks and screws that connect the rods to the spine may fall out or fall off because they lack a solid foundation. If the hooks or screws detach, the rod may detach, too. It is then possible that the loose, floating rod will bend and flex so much that it eventually wears out and then may fatigue and crack. This kind of situation is exceedingly rare given modern surgical techniques and instrumentation. Younger patients have even less to worry about, since their successful fusion rates are very high and thus the foundation for the hardware should be quite solid. Really, this is not something to worry about. menu Will I need additional surgeries later?
