Salma Suleman, a 12-year-old Kenyan girl, was brought to Indianapolis to receive an extensive, high-risk surgical procedure for a rare and severe form of scoliosis.
Doctors said Salma’s severe scoliosis caused Salma’s spine to curve 170 degrees, leading to lung compression and pulmonary hypertension.
Dr. David Schwatz, surgeon with OrthoIndy, operated on Salma at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent in Indianapolis, for 12 hours on Jan. 4, 2012. During the procedure, Dr. Schwartz worked to remove some bone and realign her spine. The surgery was a high-risk procedure, which could have resulted in paralysis and significant blood loss.
The charitable surgery was made possible thought a partnership with the NuVasive Spine Foundation, Dr. Schwartz and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent.