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Idiopathic Scoliosis

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Chest Wall Deformities

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Abstract

Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of scoliosis seen in children. Other forms of scoliosis are of neuromuscular, syndrome related or congenital origin. Current evidence suggests that idiopathic scoliosis is a polygenic, multifactorial condition with a variable expression and severity of the deformity. As idiopathic scoliosis presents as a painless deformity in early childhood or mostly at onset of the pubertal growth spurt, school screening programs contribute to an early diagnosis. Conservative treatment consisting of corrective corsets and physiotherapeutic scoliosis specific exercises remain the mainstay of treatment in milder curves. Severe deformity with curves of more than 50° necessitate operative treatment. The demanding therapeutic challenge of this condition is to prevent progression of the curves during growth, as well as choosing the right time for surgical intervention. Clinical presentation, classification, conservative and surgical treatment options, decision making and the correlation with other chestwall deformities in idiopathic scoliosis are discussed to provide a state of the art diagnostic and treatment tool.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 5, A-8036, Graz, Austria

    Christine Wibmer MD

  2. Pediatric Orthopedic Unit, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34, A-8036, Graz, Austria

    Vinay Saraph MD

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  1. Christine Wibmer MD
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  2. Vinay Saraph MD
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Correspondence to Vinay Saraph MD .

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  1. Consultant Pediatric Surgeon Chelsea Children’s Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

    Amulya K. Saxena

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Wibmer, C., Saraph, V. (2017). Idiopathic Scoliosis. In: Saxena, A. (eds) Chest Wall Deformities. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53088-7_10

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