Danat Al Emarat Women and Children’s Hospital, part of the M42 group, has successfully performed a complex adolescent spinal deformity correction surgery. The achievement reflects Danat Al Emarat’s growing expertise in managing highly complex spinal conditions across every stage of care, from before birth through adolescence.
Neuromuscular kyphoscoliosis is a severe spinal deformity that can develop in children with underlying neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy. As the condition progresses, it can impair posture, sitting balance, and respiratory function while increasing the risk of pain, pressure injuries, and reduced mobility. Surgical correction is among the most technically demanding procedures in pediatric orthopedics, requiring advanced surgical expertise, meticulous planning, and coordinated multidisciplinary care.
The procedure was performed on a 14-year-old patient with severe neuromuscular kyphoscoliosis associated with cerebral palsy. The patient presented with a rigid spinal deformity measuring approximately 120 degrees, accompanied by severe pelvic obliquity, poor sitting balance and early pressure sores caused by costo-pelvic impingement, significantly affecting comfort, positioning, and quality of life. Without timely surgical intervention, spinal deformities of this severity can continue to progress, affecting sitting balance, respiratory function, and long-term health outcomes.
Dr. Summia Zaher, CEO of Danat Al Emarat Hospital, said:“As children’s healthcare continues to evolve, so must our ability to care for increasingly intricate conditions. This milestone reflects not only surgical excellence, but also the strength of bringing multiple specialties together to deliver truly integrated care. Our ambition is for families across the UAE to access world-class, integrated care closer to home, regardless of how complex a child’s condition may be.”
The case was particularly complex due to the patient’s severe pelvic obliquity, osteopenia, rigid spinal curves, and an implanted Baclofen pump, which delivers medication into the spinal fluid to manage severe muscle spasticity and had to be carefully preserved throughout the surgery. Using advanced intraoperative halo traction, continuous neuromonitoring, blood conservation strategies, and three-dimensional correction techniques, the team achieved full correction of the scoliosis and kyphosis, restoring spinal alignment and pelvic balance while preserving neurological function.
The five-and-a-half-hour procedure was led by Dr. Waleed Hekal, Consultant Pediatric Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon, alongside Dr. Sandesh Lakkol, Consultant Spine Surgeon supported by a multidisciplinary team spanning pediatric orthopedics, spine surgery, anesthesia, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, intensive care and rehabilitation, working together from pre-operative planning through recovery.
Dr. Waleed Hekal, Consultant Pediatric Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon at Danat Al Emarat Hospital, said: “Severe neuromuscular spinal deformities are among the most challenging conditions we treat. In this case, the team was able to restore spinal alignment and pelvic balance through full correction of both the scoliosis and kyphosis. For the patient, this is expected to make a meaningful difference to posture, sitting balance, comfort, and overall quality of life, while also demonstrating the advanced orthopedic and spine capabilities available at Danat Al Emarat.”
Postoperative imaging confirmed full correction of the spinal deformity, with restored coronal and sagittal alignment and balanced pelvic positioning and a Cobb angle corrected to 0 degrees.
This milestone reflects M42’s commitment to expanding access to highly specialised, multidisciplinary care in the UAE. Through continued investment in advanced capabilities across fetal medicine, pediatric orthopedics and other specialist services, Danat Al Emarat is enabling more women, children and families to receive complex care closer to home.
