A new treatment option leads to growth and change for child with severe scoliosis

San Antonio, Texas — Anabela Salas, 8, is full of life. Her parents describe her as talkative and smart. They have nicknamed her the CEO of the hospital. She has earned that title, not only because of her inquisitiveness, but also because she has spent much of her life inside hospitals. The young girl has undergone 16 surgeries and counting.

“She’s the motivation not only for us, but she is the motivation for many. Anybody who comes into contact with her fall in love with her,” said her father, Sergio Salas.

Anabela was born with a mitochondrial disorder, which has contributed to several health issues such as a cleft palate, heart murmurs, muscle myopathy, severe scoliosis and more. Her severe scoliosis is what led the McAllen, Texas native to Dr. James Simmons, orthopedic surgeon and Medical Director at the Methodist Children’s Hospital Spine and Thoracic Center. Dr. Simmons has been working on Anabela’s spine since she was just two years old. It was then when Dr. Simmons placed rods, known as the Titanium Rib implant, around Anabela’s spine.

“The rods were to act as a preventative measure to limit Anabela’s spine from compressing her lungs as she grows,” Dr. Simmons said. “This treatment required Anabela to come to the hospital every four to six months for surgery.”

As you can imagine, the relationship between the Salas family, Dr. Simmons and the nurses has flourished after all of these years.

“In these six years [Dr. Simmons] has proven to us that he’s part of the family,” Anabela’s father said. “We’ve been coming and going for so many years now — I know the nurses and their personalities. I know how they treat my daughter.”

This closeness between the care team and their family is what made the Salas’s decision to take a necessary, but large step in their daughter’s treatment plan an easy one.

September 1 marked a turning point for Anabela, and a major milestone for children in South Texas. Anabela became the first patient to be fitted with a halo-gravity traction device at Methodist Children’s Hospital. Because the curvature in Anabela’s spine was worsening, slowly compressing her lung, it was determined halo-gravity traction would be the best next step for her. The device is used in children who suffer from severe scoliosis and/or kyphosis. During the procedure, a halo-like device was attached to Anabela’s head. This hardware connects to a small rope and spring system, which gently pulls the spine in an upward motion, straightening it. The treatment is taking place over a 12 to 14 week hospital stay while Anabela is awake and active.

Many groups were involved in the preparation for the new treatment option at Methodist Children’s Hospital. Because Anabela would require daily therapy in a space larger than her private hospital room, a generous monetary donation and grant from the Texas Indo-American Physicians Society Southwest Chapter (TIPSSW) helped the hospital purchase necessary rehabilitation equipment and décor for the hospital’s new “SPACE to heal”, an outer space-themed rehabilitation gym. Anabela is the first patient to receive treatment in this fun and healing environment.

“We are beyond grateful and feel so blessed to have this space and equipment,” said Pediatric Rehabilitation Supervisor Deanna Mazzei. “Typically, during a hospital admission we are extremely limited in what the patient can do in his or her room, but with the new gym space, we are able to bring kids like Anabela to it to help them reach goals faster and improve strength, endurance and coordination.”

In addition to the new gym, pediatric surgical nurses and the pediatric rehabilitation team spent many hours learning the proper techniques and specialized care required for Anabela and future halo-gravity traction patients.

“We are already seeing great improvement in Anabela’s spine,” Dr. Simmons said.

According to Dr. Simmons, Anabela’s 17th surgery will take place in November when the halo device is removed, her rods re-installed and her spine fused to maintain the progress of Anabela’s hard work with the halo device over the last several weeks. Her parents are proud of their little girl and excited for her to continue to grow and flourish at home.

“Our goal at the Spine and Thoracic Center is to enable every child the opportunity to pursue their dreams without physical obstacles that might stand in their way. Anabela will be right back to riding her bicycle, jumping on her bed and continuing to just be a kid, very soon,” Dr. Simmons said.

Learn more about the Methodist Children's Hospital Spinal and Thoracic Center.