15-Year-Old Bahamian Girl Receives Life-Changing Treatment for Scoliosis at Holtz Children’s Hospital

By: Krysten Brenlla

Deidre Romer, a 15-year-old from the Bahamas, was living a healthy life with her family when a diagnosis changed everything.

“I was sitting in the bedroom at my aunt’s house and my cousin, who has scoliosis, said that my back looked crooked,” Deidre said. “She told me to bend over, and she saw a hump.”

Her mother, Gabrielle Romer, was scared of the potential diagnosis. As Deidre grew, Romer noticed her daughter’s spine curving more. A visit to their local pediatrician confirmed what she feared: Deidre had scoliosis, too.

“I was scared of paralysis for her,” Romer said. “There’s not much spinal surgery done in the Bahamas. As a mom, I did what was in her best interest, and I made the decision to take her outside of the country.”

Scoliosis is a condition where the spine curves abnormally, typically from side-to-side, and resembling an “S” or “C” shape. The condition appears in childhood or early adolescence, and can cause many symptoms, often requiring surgery.

After doing their own research, Romer and Deidre found specialized programs close to home at Holtz Children’s Hospital and UHealth – University of Miami Health System, where they met Evan J. Trapana, MD, a UHealth orthopedic spine surgeon at Jackson Memorial.

“Dr. Trapana confirmed that Deidre needed surgery,” Romer said. “He shared with me that Holtz Children’s had a new doctor from Boston who specializes in pediatric scoliosis surgery. So, we embraced the opportunity and made an appointment to see him.”

Feeling hopeful, Romer and Deidre moved forward with Dr. Trapana’s referral, ready to meet the specialist who might change Deidre’s future.

“When I first saw Deidre, I noticed she had scoliosis in the thoracic and lumbar spine, which was progressive,” said Brian Grottkau, MD, chief of pediatric orthopedics and pediatric surgical services at Holtz Children’s, and Shriners Children’s endowed chair in pediatric orthopedics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “After looking at the flexibility of her lumbar curve, we saw that she would be a great candidate for a hybrid tether surgery.”

A hybrid tether surgery is a specialized spinal procedure that combines two techniques: spinal fusion for the upper/mid-back (thoracic spine), and a vertebral body tethering for the lower back (lumbar spine). The spinal fusion permanently joins the curve in the thoracic spine using bone grafts, rods, and screws to stop the movement in that section of the back and correct the curve. The vertebral body tethering for the lumbar spine helps straighten the spine with screws and a flexible cord (tether) to gently pull the spine while allowing for normal spinal motion.

On December 17, 2024, Deidre had a successful hybrid tether surgery with Dr. Grottkau and his team – the first time this hybrid procedure was performed at Holtz Children’s.

“Deidre did extremely well,” Dr. Grottkau said. “ She ended up going home from the hospital just a couple days later.”
After surgery, Deidre focused on staying active every day, so she could return to the things she loved the most.

She started to see significant improvement in her movements and pain levels by January – just one month after the procedure.

Today, six months later, Deidre is back at school, and her spine has healed. She’s walking perfectly, and isn’t scared of what’s next, all thanks to the cutting-edge expertise provided by the Holtz Children’s pediatric orthopedics team.

“Many people who have scoliosis think their life is over, but my daughter has defied that, and one of the things I’m trying to promote in the Bahamas is to check for curvatures in every child’s back every year for early diagnosis and treatment,” Romer said. “I always tell Deidre to defy the odds and embrace the scar – her scar is part of her beauty.”

“Post-surgery has been quite challenging, but at the end of the day, the surgery was worth it,” Deidre said. “I thought my life was over, but Dr. Grottkau and his team have really helped me.”