Mr Taylor said: We believe the individual would have had severe scoliosis which is a form of spinal curvature.

As the latter seems the most likely, spinal surgeons should be aware of this occurrence following severe scoliosis correction.

As a teenager, Blake had to wear a back brace for 18 hours a day after being diagnosed with severe scoliosis.

The severe scoliosis in most individuals and rare developmental coxa vara distinguish individuals with FN1 mutations from those with classical Sutcliffe-type SMD.

Last week it emerged that some titanium Magec Model X rods, used in small children with severe scoliosis, were found to be defective.