Last fall, Rachel, then 22 months old, was the first patient in Minnesota to receive an implanted vertical, expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR). 

Rachel was born with thoracic insufficiency syndrome, a severe form of scoliosis.  The ribs on her left side fused, curving her spine to nearly 60 degrees and preventing her lungs from developing as she grew. 

Before the VEPTR became available, no effective treatments existed for children with thoracic insufficiency syndrome.  When they eventually outgrew their lungs, such children became dependent on ventilators.  Sometimes they died from asphyxiation.

A year ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the VEPTR for patients like Rachel.  Lael Luedtke, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, completed training on the surgery soon afterward.  During Rachel's surgery, Dr. Luedtke cut through the fused ribs to implant the VEPTR.

The surgery was a success.  Rachel will undergo follow-up procedures approximately every six months, however, until she's done growing.  The VEPTR enables surgeons to expand the rib as needed, allowing Rachel's lungs and body to develop as they should.

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