SCOLIOSIS AND TREATMENT

What Is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a lateral (toward the side) curvature in the normally straight vertical line of the spine. When viewed from the side, the spine should show a mild roundness in the upper back and shows a degree of swayback (inward curvature) in the lower back. When a person with a normal spine is viewed from the front or back, the spine appears to be straight. When a person with scoliosis is viewed from the front or back, the spine appears to be curved.

What Causes Scoliosis?

There are many types and causes of scoliosis, including:


Congenital scoliosis. Caused by a bone abnormality present at birth.

Neuromuscular scoliosis. A result of abnormal muscles or nerves. Frequently seen in people with spina bifida or cerebral palsy or in those with various conditions that are accompanied by, or result in, paralysis.

Degenerative scoliosis. This may result from traumatic (from an injury or illness) bone collapse, previous major back surgery, or osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).

Idiopathic scoliosis. The most common type of scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, has no specific identifiable cause. There are many theories, but none have been found to be conclusive. There is, however, strong evidence that idiopathic scoliosis is inherited.



Who Gets Scoliosis?
Approximately 2% to 3% of Americans at age 16 have scoliosis. Less than 0.1% have spinal curves measuring greater than 40 degrees, which is the point at which surgery becomes a consideration. Overall, girls are more likely to be affected than boys. Idiopathic scoliosis is most commonly a condition of adolescence affecting those ages 10 through 16. Idiopathic scoliosis may progress during the "growth spurt" years, but usually will not progress during adulthood.

How Is Scoliosis Diagnosed?
Most scoliosis curves are initially detected on school screening exams, by a child's pediatrician or family doctor, or by a parent. Some clues that a child may have scoliosis include uneven shoulders, a prominent shoulder blade, uneven waist, or leaning to one side. The diagnosis of scoliosis and the determination of the type of scoliosis are then made by a careful bone exam and an X-ray to evaluate the magnitude of the curve.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The most common symptom of scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine. Often this is a mild change and may be first noticed by a friend or family member. The change in the curve of the spine typically occurs very slowly so it is easy to miss until it becomes more severe. It can also be found on a routine school screening examination for scoliosis. Those affected may notice that their clothes do not fit as they did previously or that pant legs are longer on one side that the other.

Scoliosis may cause the head to appear off center or one hip or shoulder to be higher than the opposite side. You may have a more obvious curve on one side of the rib cage on your back from twisting of the vertebrae and ribs. If the scoliosis is more severe, it can make it more difficult for the heart and lungs to work properly. This can cause shortness of breath and chest pain.

In most cases, scoliosis is not painful, but there are certain types of scoliosis than can cause back pain. Additionally, there are other causes of back pain, which your doctor will want to look for as well.


TREATMENT

Treatment of scoliosis is based on the severity of the curve and the chances of the curve getting worse. Certain types of scoliosis have a greater chance of getting worse, so the type of scoliosis also helps to determine the proper treatment. There are three main categories of treatment: observation, bracing, and surgery.

Functional scoliosis is caused by an abnormality elsewhere in the body. This type of scoliosis is treated by treating that abnormality, such as a difference in leg length. A small wedge can be placed in the shoe to help even out the leg length and prevent the spine from curving. There is no direct treatment of the spine because the spine is normal in these people.

Neuromuscular scoliosis is caused by an abnormal development of the bones of the spine. These types of scoliosis have the greatest chance for getting worse. Observation and bracing do not normally work well for these people. The majority of these people will eventually need surgery to stop the curve from getting worse.

Treatment of idiopathic scoliosis is based on the age when it develops.

In many cases, infantile idiopathic scoliosis will improve without any treatment. X-rays can be obtained and measurements compared on future visits to determine if the curve is getting worse. Bracing is not normally effective in these people.

Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis has the highest risk for getting worse of all of the idiopathic types of scoliosis. Bracing can be tried early if the curve is not very severe. The goal is to prevent the curve from getting worse until the person stops growing. Since the curve starts early in these people, and they have a lot of time left to grow, there is a higher chance for needing more aggressive treatment or surgery.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of scoliosis. If the curve is small when first diagnosed, it can be observed and followed with routine X-rays and measurements. If the curve stays below 25 degrees, no other treatment is needed. You may return to see the doctor every three to four months to check for any worsening of the curve. Additional X-rays may be repeated each year to obtain new measurements and check for progression of the curve. If the curve is between 25-40 degrees and you are still growing, a brace may be recommended. Bracing is not recommended for people who have finished growing. If the curve is greater than 40 degrees, then surgery may be recommended.

As explained above, scoliosis is not typically associated with back pain. In cases with back pain, the symptoms can be lessened with physical therapy, massage, and exercises, including yoga. These can help to strengthen the muscles of the back. They are not, however, a cure for scoliosis and will not be able to correct the abnormal curve.

There are several different types of braces available for scoliosis. Some need to be worn nearly 24 hours a day and are removed only for showering. Others can be worn only at night. The ability of a brace to work depends on the person following the instructions from the doctor and wearing the brace as directed. Braces are not designed to correct the curve. They are used to help slow or stop the curve from getting worse.

If the curve stays below 40 degrees until the person is finished growing, it is not likely to get worse later in life. However, if the curve is greater than 40 degrees, it is likely to continue to get worse by 1-2 degrees each year for the rest of the person's life. If this is not prevented, the person could eventually be at risk for heart or lung problems. The goals of surgery for scoliosis are correcting and stabilizing the curve, reducing pain, and restoring a more normal curve and appearance to the spinal column.

Surgery involves correcting the curve back to as close to normal as possible and performing a spinal fusion to hold it in place. This is done with a combination of screws, hooks, and rods that are attached to the bones of the spine to hold them in place. The surgeon places bone graft around the bones to be fused to get them to grow together and become solid. This prevents any further curvature in that portion of the spine. In most cases, the screws and rods will remain in your spine and not need to be removed. There are many different ways for your surgeon to perform the fusion surgery. It may be all performed from a single incision on the back of your spine or combined with another incision along your front or side. This decision is based on the location and severity of the curve.

Surgery recovery varies some from person to person. Your doctor will use medications to control your pain initially after surgery. You will likely be up out of bed to a chair the first day after surgery. You will work with a physical therapist who will assist you in walking after the surgery. As you continue to recover, it is important to improve your muscle strength. The physical therapist can help you with exercises for your muscles that will also help with the pain.

As with any surgery, there are risks of surgery for scoliosis. The amount of risk depends partially on your age, the degree of curve, the cause of the curve, and the amount of correction attempted. In most cases the surgeon will use a technique called neuro monitoring during surgery. This allows the surgeon to monitor the function of the spinal cord and nerves during surgery. If they are being placed at increased risk of damage, the surgeon is alerted and can adjust the procedure to reduce those risks. There is a small risk of infection with any surgery. This risk is decreased with the use of antibiotics, but it can still occur in some cases. Other potential risks include injury to nerve or blood vessels, bleeding, continued curve progression after surgery, broken rods or screws, and the need for further surgery. Each of these is rare.

If a tumor such as osteoid osteoma is the cause of the scoliosis, surgery to remove the tumor is generally able to correct the curve.

People with degenerative scoliosis will often have more complaints of back and leg pain. This is related to the arthritis in the back and possible compression of the nerve roots that lead to the legs. Nonoperative treatment including physical therapy, exercises, and gentle chiropractic can help relieve these symptoms in some cases. People who fail to improve with these treatments may benefit from surgery. X-rays and possible MRIs will be obtained to plan for surgery. The surgery could include only a decompression or removal of bone spurs that are compressing the nerves. In some cases, a fusion will be necessary to stabilize the spine and possibly correct the abnormal curve.


What is the prognosis for scoliosis?

School screening programs have helped to identify many cases of scoliosis early. This allows people to be treated with either observation or bracing and avoid the need for surgery in many cases. Most people with scoliosis can live full, productive, and normal lives. People with scoliosis are able to become pregnant and have children with no increased risk for complications. They may be at increased risk for additional low back pain during pregnancy.

Newer advances in surgery have allowed for less invasive surgical methods that have less pain and shorter recovery periods. These techniques are still being developed, but the initial results are very promising.


Is there a cure for scoliosis?

At this time, there is no cure for scoliosis. There are good treatment options as discussed above. Researchers are trying to find the causes of the different types of scoliosis. This will hopefully lead to better treatments or a cure.