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Long-term observation and management of resolving infantile idiopathic scoliosis

A 25-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.
² Orthopaedic Department, Landeskraukenhaus Feldkirch, Cannagasse 47, A-6807 Feldkirch, Austria.
³ Orthopaedic Department, Annastift Hannover, Anna-von-Borries-Strasse 1–7, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr O. Diedrich.

Of 42 patients with resolvingscoliosis, 34 were followed up for more than 25 infantile idiopathicyears. Twenty had been primarily treated in a plaster bed and 14 by physiotherapy. The mean angle of the curve at presentation was 17° and at follow-up it was 5°. No patient had significant progression of the scoliosis during the growth spurt. When adults few had back pain or an increased disability score and there was no interference with work or social activities. The rib-vertebra angle difference proved to be an essential radiological sign when distinguishing resolving from progressive infantile idiopathic scoliosis. There was no advantage of plaster over physiotherapy with regard to either the time to resolution or the functional outcome. Treatment of resolving infantile idiopathic scoliosis in a plaster bed is therefore now outdated.

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				B. L. Gillingham, R. A. Fan, and B. A. Akbarnia Early Onset Idiopathic Scoliosis J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., February 1, 2006; 14(2): 101 - 112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]