Standing Tall: SGH Team Helps Teen Walk Straight on Her 17th Birthday

Seventeen-year-old Sririta Phikun has had the same birthday wish every year since primary school - to walk upright like her friends. Born with congenital scoliosis, her spine curved 110 degrees sideways, making it impossible to stand straight. She was first seen at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), where she underwent a fusionless procedure with periodic implant expansions designed to guide her spinal growth while keeping her condition stable throughout childhood. She was subsequently transferred to SGH for continued management.

Despite enduring years of teasing from schoolmates, Sririta remained determined to stand taller and live without being defined by her appearance. On her 17th birthday, her wish finally came true.

"Sririta's case was one of the most complex we have ever encountered, and the risks were significant. But her courage and determination never wavered. We knew this was never a case that could be managed by one specialty alone, and a positive outcome would be life-changing for her," said Associate Professor Reuben Soh, Senior Consultant, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, SGH.

She began seeing Associate Professor Soh in August 2025. After 4.5 months of evaluation and planning, she underwent the first of three surgeries on 7 January 2026.

The first procedure involved securing a metal ring to her skull, called halo-gravity traction - which applies a gentle pulling force to gradually stretch the spine and reduce the risk of spinal cord injury. This special setup allows controlled traction - meaning it applies a gentle pulling force to the spine to gradually stretch her vertebral column and pre-tension the spinal cord, reducing the risk of spinal cord injury. She remained in this setup for 16 weeks alongside intensive physiotherapy.

During her inpatient stay, a multidisciplinary team comprising SGH orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, senior scrub nurses, intensivists and anaesthetists, together with neurosurgeons from the National Neuroscience Institute, rehearsed the second surgery on a 3D-printed model. This surgery addressed her lipomeningocele - a fatty growth anchored to her spinal cord that, if left unaddressed, could have caused loss of bladder or bowel control during spinal correction. The surgeons removed the fatty growth to free the spinal cord and made small cuts in some stiffened vertebrae to improve flexibility. The operation went smoothly, and she returned to halo-gravity traction afterwards.

On 19 May 2026, her 17th birthday, Sririta underwent the third and most critical surgery. Despite being fully aware of the risks – including significant blood loss, neurological deficit and the possibility of failing to achieve proper spinal alignment – she remained resolute in her decision to proceed, even with a success rate of only 50%. Given the complexity and gravity of the procedure, an ethics team was also engaged to ensure that both she and her parents had a thorough understanding of what the surgery entailed before giving their consent.

The orthopaedic team removed one of the spinal bones – a procedure known as vertebral body resection - to allow the spine to be repositioned into a straighter, healthier alignment. Two metal rods and 16 anchor points, comprising screws and bands, were then inserted along the length of the spine, from the upper back down to the pelvis, to hold everything securely in place while the spine heals and fuses together. The three surgeries resulted in four litres of blood loss in total, most of which were recovered and returned to her through intraoperative cell salvage, minimising the need for blood transfusion.

After five months of recovery and rehabilitation, Sririta was finally able to walk straight for the first time. This remarkable outcome was the culmination of a collective effort by a dedicated team of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, all of whom played a vital role in making the three surgeries a success.

Sririta continues to receive follow-up care at SGH, but her quality life has improved tremendously. She is now able to stand and walk straight, moving freely around her neighbourhood without drawing stares from strangers. She hopes to go swimming soon, something she has always wanted to do, ultimately fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming an airport ground staff or a nurse.