Scoliosis

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Scoliosis

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The theme of this page is beyond the scope of the mission of I.B.I.S. The links shown below are highly selected and of limited scope.

Scoliosis

Special Resources

Scoliosis

A Selection of Internet Sites

[*] Outstanding
[P] For Professionals
[S] Support Groups

[*] Scoliosis
June 1997/Postgraduate Medicine … You can't prevent it … It often runs in families … Girls are four times more likely than boys to have it, and it is much more likely to progress and require treatment in girls.

[*] [P] What is Scoliosis
The Scoliosis Research Society … Some people have spines that also curve from side to side … Side to side spinal curves is called scoliosis.

[*] Scoliosis
MayoClinic … Reliable Information for a Healthier Life … The spine affected by scoliosis may have an "S" or "C" shape. Scoliosis usually is painless; most cases are mild, requiring only follow-up and observation. In more extreme cases, the spine can rotate as well, resulting in prominent ribs on one side of the body and spaces on the other … Can cause ongoing back pain and difficulty with breathing … Signs a parent should watch for … Uneven shoulders … Prominent shoulder blade or shoulder blades … Uneven waist … Elevated hips … Leaning to one side … Physically immature patients are checked at 3- to 6- month intervals for changes in the curvature … Can a curve continue to progress after a person has completed growth? Yes, some curves continue to skeletal maturity (about age 15 for girls and 17 for boys). These are the people we treat surgically. Usually, curves of less than 40 degrees don't progress after skeletal maturity.

Scoliosis
American Academy of Orthopaedic Connection …Children - The vast majority of scoliosis is "idiopathic," meaning its cause is unknown. It usually develops in middle or late childhood, before puberty, and is seen more often in girls than boys … Early detection - tips for parents … uneven shoulder … prominent shoulder blade or shoulder blades … uneven waist … elevated hips … leaning to one side.

[P] Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Prevalence, Natural History, Treatment Indications
Virtual Hospital® the apprentice's assistant™ - University of Iowa Health Care.

Questions Often Asked About Scoliosis
Virtual Hospital® the apprentice's assistant™ - University of Iowa Health Care … How can you tell if I have scoliosis? … At what age does scoliosis develop? … Is this a rare condition?

[***] [P] [S] Scoliosis
Approaches To Differential Diagnosis in Musculoskeletal Imaging by Michael L. Richardson, M.D. © 1994 … Scoliosis of greater than 25 degrees has been reported in about 1.5/1000 persons in the United States. Most curves can be treated non-operatively … However, 60% of curvatures in rapidly growing perpubertal children will progress. Therefore, scoliosis screening is done in schools across America and several other countries. This screening is probably not necessary until the fifth grade. Beyond that point, boys and girls should be examined every 6 - 9 months. Generally, curvatures less than 30 degrees will not progress after the child is skeletally mature.

[***] [P] Screening for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Clinicians should remain alert for large spinal curvatures when examining adolescents … Scoliosis, a lateral spinal curve of 11 degrees or greater, affects an estimated 500,000 adults in the United States … A large proportion of these cases develop during adolescence … The potential adverse effects of scoliosis include the progressive development of unpleasant cosmetic deformities, back pain, social and psychological problems during both childhood (e.g., poor self-image, social isolation) and adulthood (e.g., limited job opportunities, lower marriage rate), and the financial costs of treatment … Direct evidence of the effectiveness of scoliosis screening would require controlled prospective studies demonstrating that persons who receive screening experience better outcomes than those who are not screened … The rationale behind screening is the assumption that the early detection of curves permits prompt initiation of conservative therapeutic measures that may prevent progression … The Scoliosis Research Society has recommended annual screening of all children aged 10-14 years. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has recommended screening girls at ages 11 and 13 years and screening boys once at age 13 or 14 years. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended scoliosis screening with the forward bending test at routine health supervision visits at ages 10, 12, 14, and 16 years; this recommendation is under review. The Bright Futures guidelines recommend noting the presence of scoliosis during the physical examination of adolescents and children>=8 years of age. The Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination concluded that there was insufficient evidence to make a recommendation. Scoliosis screening is required by law in some states.

[***] Research into the Causes of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Predominance of women with severe scoliosis … Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Genetics Study now being conducted at Johns Hopkins Hospital is analyzing blood samples from families with at least three diagnosed Scoliosis suffers in hopes of finding genes common to the ones with the deforming condition … Virtually all members of the Scoliosis Research Society today are spinal surgeons … Out of 86 Scoliosis research papers presented by SRS members at the September, 1998 SRS Conference in New York City, only 3 were classified as "Etiology/Natural History" and only a few others in "Basic Science" or … Spinal fusions take away all of the function of the spine's individual vertebrae by cementing 8, 10, 12 or more of them into one immovable column … Spinal fusions are tremendously invasive … Spinal fusions are very dangerous because … Spinal fusions can result in large blood loss, often requiring the patient to self-donate 3-6 pints of his or her own blood prior to surgery … Spinal fusions cost huge amounts of money … It takes 6-12 months in adolescents and 1-2 years in adults for the bone of the fusion to totally heal … Spinal fusions remove the adolescent patient from school for 2-3 months … Spinal fusions may result in one or more pseudoarthroses, or cracks … Spinal fusions often result in Fusion Disease, in which the paraspinal and other muscles that are cut into to access the spine posteriorly are weakened, restricted from movement, and thus atrophy … Spinal fusions may call for hardware removal operations … Spinal fusions often "fail" … Spinal fusions may mean that the fused patient develops the painful and debilitation symptoms of Degenerative Adult Scoliosis … A patient with a spinal fusion can never "go back" and reverse the process … Spinal fusions--by restricting so much body movement that otherwise could have compensated for repetitive stress injuries or slight postural deficiencies--may result in further medical problems such as cervical radiculopathy … Spinal fusions may result in bowel and bladder failure … Spinal fusions, especially in repeat surgery cases, may require severance of the Sympathic nerve, which produces consequent loss of function such as adjustment of heart rate, blood flow, and skin temperature during exercise and activities (similar complications of heart transplant patients) … Spinal fusions may result, after as little as 20-30 years, in an individual who has such great pain and functional difficulties in multiple areas of the body … Spinal fusions impost needs for many drugs … Spinal fusions expose the patient to very large amounts of radiation … Spinal fusions may ultimately create large numbers of physically dysfunctional older adults … Written and designed by Elizabeth Mina, a 50-year old AIS patient who has had seven spinal surgeries and has been in spinal fusion failure for the past 15 years.

Scoliosis Chat Room
Scoliosis World.

British Scoliosis Society ~ BBS

Scoliosis Association (UK)

	This site offers information mostly for educational purposes. This site is not intended to alter health care protocols nor to serve as a sole source of medical information. Please read full disclaimer. Always seek the advice of your local health care provider.
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22/November/2002 R.C.