Burnley S-shaped spine op girl’s up and walking (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley S-shaped spine op girl’s up and walking

4:46pm Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News

A BURNLEY schoolgirl has undergone a life-changing operation to correct her curved spine Jessica Ingham, 14, from Burnley, underwent the eight-hour operation at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

She suffers from a hereditary curvature of the spine known as scoliosis, which can cause severe disability, organ damage and, on rare occasions, death if left untreated.

Blessed Trinity RC School pupil Jessica, of Olivant Street, was diagnosed with the condition last year and up until the operation, was wearing a protective brace for 21 hours a day.

The teenager had a 53 per cent curvature of the spine and doctors said the only real way she can stop it from moving further was to undergo the operation. Two metal rods were inserted into her back to straighten her spinal column, leaving her two inches taller after the operation.

She was in hospital for five days and will be off school for about three months.

Jessica’s mum and grandma also had the condition. Jenette Ingham, 36, also had an operation to correct the S-shaped bend despite a 83 per cent chance of paralysis.

Jenette said: “Jessica’s operation went even better than we could have imagined.

“She was up and walking after four days and is making fantastic progress.

“She has not had x-rays on her spine yet to see to what extent it has worked but her back to look at is a lot straighter.”