Ezra, 18, is a talented teen violinist who has played for 12 years and has spent the past three performing with a suburban Chicago youth orchestra. In 2024 he was excited to join the orchestra’s prestigious honor ensembles in the Hanson String Quartet. But the serious effects of a lifelong and worsening health condition put performance and his health at risk. “After I was accepted into Youth Symphony, I faced one of my biggest challenges, but it didn’t pertain to music,” Ezra wrote. Thanks to advanced scoliosis treatment from Shriners Children’s pediatric spine team and some creativity, he stayed on track musically and is playing now with a much straighter spine and less pain.
Ezra was born with several complex medical conditions, including congenital scoliosis. In 2014, his family turned to the pediatric orthopedic spine program at Shriners Children’s Chicago for care. As he grew taller, the curve in his spine also grew. But it was more than his curve that caused concern. Ezra’s vertebrae were abnormally shaped, including butterfly vertebrae, hemi (wedge-shaped), and block (fused) vertebrae. “In Dr. Gupta’s words, ‘Ezra has an alphabet soup of abnormalities with his spine,’” Ezra said.
Eventually, his unusual spine was shaped in an ‘S’ curve of more than 100 degrees. Surgery was scheduled for fall of 2024. His orthopedic spine surgeon put Ezra in 24/7 inpatient halo traction for one month prior to surgery. Halo-gravity traction is a treatment for scoliosis and other spine deformities that involves gently stretching and straightening the spine. The treatment involves attaching a metal ring, called a halo, around the head and connecting it to a weighted pulley system.
Michal Szczodry, M.D., a pediatric spine surgeon, has treated hundreds of children using halo traction as part of their spine care. Dr. Szczodry said children who have a curvature measuring 90 to 180 degrees are considered to have a very severe case of scoliosis, which can limit a child’s ability to participate in sports, lead to physical discomfort in daily activities and often affect their ability to breathe normally. “This technique has been around for quite a while, but a lot of medical facilities stopped offering it years ago because of the challenges involved with the length of time children needed to be ‘in halo,’ as we call it, and insurance wouldn’t always cover that cost,” Dr. Szczodry said.
Thankfully, at Shriners Children’s, we’re able to provide these kinds of treatments regardless of families’ ability to pay or whether insurance will cover it.
Ezra was concerned that all those weeks away from the symphony while in halo might mean losing his spot in the ensemble he'd worked so hard to reach. To keep in practice, his music director suggested a new idea. What if Ezra and his quartet could hold weekly rehearsals at Shriners Children’s? The request was approved by the inpatient and spine care team, giving the quartet special access to the hospital’s Teen Lounge, which provided a small private space to rehearse.
Shriners Children’s Chicago is one of only a handful of facilities in the country that offers halo treatment and allows children to stay in the hospital throughout the entire multi-week treatment process. After halo traction, children usually have spinal fusion surgery to permanently straighten the spine. Dr. Szczodry said the halo-first approach reduces intraoperative risk of damaging the spinal cord and nerves, as well as soft tissues that surround and support the spine.
“I have witnessed incredible transformations with halo traction,” said Dr. Szczodry. “Kids who arrive with severe, stuck-out spinal curves see their spines gradually straighten and actually feel it straightening in the process. Although the setup can look uncomfortable, our patients typically like the feeling of being stretched and the feeling that comes with it. This treatment is part of our life-changing care for many of our kids and allows them to get back to doing the things they love sooner.”
Ezra just remembers those pins. “While halo traction was for the most part painless for me, I did learn that if I didn’t thoroughly clean my halo pins every day, they would become very irritated. The hardest part about halo traction is getting used to sleeping with six pins sticking out of your head,” said Ezra.
With his halo in place, his inpatient stay began. Ezra recalls telling his mom during the second week as an inpatient, “I love it here!” During his stay, he performed the Star-Spangled Banner at a Paralympic Games opening-day celebration for patients.
“Thanks to the willingness of the Hansen String Quartet members to drive all the way into Chicago, I was able to rehearse while in traction,” said Ezra.
After successful halo treatment, Ezra underwent posterior spinal fusion surgery on September 25, 2024, to address his 120-degree curve between T1 and L4.
“I am feeling great after surgery, although my first three weeks after were quite painful. The process of getting my nerves acclimated and reset was the biggest hurdle,” he said. “It's been half a year since spinal fusion and my life is pretty much the same with the exception of no BLT (bending, lifting or twisting). Six weeks after surgery, I was able to return to playing my violin, which in my opinion helped me recover faster and regain feeling in my back and left arm. Now I am back playing gigs and recitals.”
Children receiving halo traction often receive physical, occupational and recreational therapy from pediatric-trained therapists while they are in care at our location on the outskirts of Chicago. Many also participate in fun activities during their stay. Learn more about our advanced treatments for scoliosis.
The Hansen String Quartet practices in the Teen Lounge.
Ezra plays duets with his violin teacher about three months post-surgery.
Nearly eight months post-surgery, Ezra models in a patient fashion show supporting Shriners Children's.
The Hansen String Quartet performs at a fundraising event supporting Shriners Children's.
