Heather Douglas

Heather Douglas is a patient who had risky spinal surgery to correct severe scoliosis caused by VATER Syndrome.

History
Heather was born with VATER Syndrome, which caused advanced scoliosis that left her unable to walk upright. She was in the hospital to have kidney stones removed as well as a few ribs to relieve the pressure on her lungs. Callie Torres asked if she'd had more radical surgery to treat the spinal curvature. She said she'd had a steel rod inserted, but the rod just bent. She'd also had two previous spinal fusions.

Derek Shepherd was called for a consult. He said he could remove the curved portion of her spine and replace it with a mesh cage, which could get her walking upright. He said that there was a chance for paralysis, but Heather said she wanted the surgery. However, when her insurance company refused to pay, her surgery was cancelled. ("Six Days, Part 1")

Notes and Trivia

 * She was 17 at the time of her spinal surgery.