Children’s Hospital Los Angeles uses an enhanced recovery protocol for pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery that aims to reduce pain, shorten hospital stays and speed recovery.
The protocol is used for conditions including adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and combines preoperative education, multimodal pain management and early mobilization after surgery. CHLA surgeons perform more than 250 spine surgeries annually, and the hospital handles about 20% of pediatric spinal surgeries in California, according to a May 27 news release.
Some patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are discharged two days after surgery. Discharge decisions are based on pain control, nutrition intake and the patient’s ability to walk safely.
CHLA’s spine nurses lead preoperative education classes to help families understand the recovery process and postoperative expectations. The hospital’s anesthesia and pain medicine teams also work to transition patients from IV pain medications to oral medications as early as the first day after surgery.
Nurses begin mobilizing patients shortly after surgery, with physical therapists later guiding recovery activities tailored to each patient’s needs, including stair navigation and return-to-sport preparation. Research conducted by CHLA physicians and other specialists has shown many young athletes can safely return to sports as early as six weeks after spinal fusion surgery, according to the release.
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