The best person to advise you is a spine specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon. Perhaps you have already been seeing a surgeon who made the diagnosis. This would be a very good question to pose to him or her at your daughter’s next follow-up appointment.
Young patients and their parents are often concerned when there is a rib prominence (hump). This concern is understandable. For the young individual, appearance and self-image can be negatively affected by such a deformity.
There is also the potential for decreased pulmonary function. The rotation of the spine and ribs presses on the lungs. Compression of this type can reduce airflow and volume of air exchanged.
Surgical treatment may be needed. The spine can be corrected and the ribs derotated. Sometimes the surgeon removes a portion of each rib in the hump. The rib is crushed up and used as a bone graft to fuse the spine.
New correction methods and improved spine instrumentation are available. Special rods and screws can be used to distract, straighten, and derotate the spine. The result is improved spinal alignment and correction of deformity. Patients report being very satisfied with the results and with their appearance. And studies show a potential for improved pulmonary function.