Standing full-length x-ray of an adult spine with a sideways curve, displayed on a monitor in a bright room — Standing x-rays of the whole spine are the starting point for deformity planning.

A Fresno practice serving the Valley

Central Valley Advanced Spine has one office, located in Fresno, California. We do not have clinics in other cities. Patients who live elsewhere in the Valley travel to Fresno for their visits, and the operation is scheduled at Fresno Surgical Hospital. For deformity surgery, which involves more visits than most spine care, it helps to know from the start what the trip looks like. Each city page below covers that.

What adult deformity correction is

Adult spinal deformity means the spine has lost its normal shape. It can curve sideways (scoliosis), lose its normal inward curve in the low back (flatback), tip forward (kyphosis), or have one vertebra slipped forward on another. Many people notice they lean forward more as the day goes on, need to rest on a cart or counter, or get leg pain when walking.

Correction surgery takes pressure off pinched nerves and brings the spine back into better balance over the pelvis. It usually includes a fusion over several levels with screws and rods, and sometimes reshaping of the bone. Our adult deformity correction overview explains the operation and its risks, which are higher than those of smaller spine surgery.

Who it may help

Most adults with a curve do not need surgery. It comes up when adult spinal deformity limits standing, walking or daily life and other care has not helped enough. Many patients also have lumbar stenosis that adds leg pain, or worn discs that have collapsed over the years.

Why patients make the trip to Fresno

Complex adult deformity correction is one of the four focus areas of Dr. Devan Higginbotham's practice. He completed his spine fellowship at UC Davis, where he co-authored research on fusion for adult spondylolisthesis, and he is first author of a national study on how spine surgeons check nutrition, function and bone health before surgery. That kind of preparation is a big part of deformity care. Screw placement in these operations may use navigated and robotic guidance, depending on your spine and the hospital.

The practice also focuses on endoscopic spine surgery for Valley patients and artificial disc replacement in the neck.

What planning involves

ConsultationExam and history. Bring any x-rays you have, including old ones, to show how the curve has changed.
ImagingStanding full-spine x-rays, plus MRI or CT.
Health preparationBone density, nutrition, blood sugar, heart and lung checks. Much of this may be done with your own doctor near home.
Plan visitA second visit to review the plan, the hospital stay and recovery, with family.
Surgery and follow-upA hospital stay of several days is common, then follow-up visits with x-rays for a year or more.

Travel planning for families outside Fresno

Because deformity surgery means several trips and a long recovery, families from farther cities often plan ahead:

Line up two or three drivers who can share trips to Fresno.
Ask about doing lab work and some health checks with your own doctor near home.
Choose a physical therapy clinic close to home so you can keep going week after week.
For a two-hour ride home after a hospital stay, plan stops to stand and walk.

Read preparing for spine surgery for a longer checklist.

Cities we have pages for

Approximate driving distance to Fresno, city center to city center.

We also see patients from other towns across the Valley. See the locations hub for every city page.

Questions from families across the Valley

How many trips to Fresno does deformity surgery take?

Usually more than smaller spine surgery: two or more planning visits, the hospital stay, and follow-up visits across the first year or longer. We try to group tests on the same day when we can.

Can some of the preparation happen near home?

Often, yes. Lab work, some heart and lung checks and bone density testing can often be done with your own doctor, who sends results to us.

What if I need rehab after the hospital?

Some patients spend time in an inpatient rehab unit before going home. We will help plan this and look at options that work for your family.

Is there an age limit?

No set limit. Overall health, bone strength and how much the curve limits your life matter more than age.

Adult Deformity Correction for Patients Across the Central Valley