Scoliosis is a condition which displays a curvature of the spine, and is typically found in young girls. Patients are usually treated by a growth rod, which is a metal instrumentation system. This aims to straighten the spine, and then holds it rigid while spinal fusion takes place. As young patients are still growing, repeated surgical interventions are required every 6 months. With each surgery, the growth rod is extended to account for the growth in the patient and then re-tightened. This causes distress to the patient and increases the surgical cost. There is, therefore, a clear clinical need to reduce the number of surgeries.
The invention is a screw system that can be used with current growth rod systems for the treatment of scoliosis. It aims to reduce the number of surgeries that are required by allowing the growth rod to be set without surgery. The invention uses ?inserts?, made from shape memory alloy which hold the growth rod in place. In order to extend the growth rod, the inserts could be heated by use of electromagnetism which causes them to release the rod. The growth rod can then by moved and the inserts cooled again.