Patient.adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Handbook for Patients
Patient.adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Handbook for Patients
Patient.adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Handbook for Patients
Idiopathic Scoliosis
A Handbook for Patients
Table of Contents
What is Scoliosis and Who Gets It?......................................................................... 2
Causes of AIS........................................................................................................... 2
Classification............................................................................................................ 2
Signs and Symptoms................................................................................................ 3
Diagnosis.................................................................................................................. 4
Natural History......................................................................................................... 4
Curve Progression.................................................................................................... 4
Non-Surgical Management....................................................................................... 5
Surgical Treatment.................................................................................................... 6
FAQs......................................................................................................................... 7
Glossary.................................................................................................................... 9
Figure 2
Causes of AIS
Figure 1
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis is a genetic condition, meaning it is inherited and a family
may have more than one member with the diagnosis. The exact reason why the spine
curves remains unknown (idiopathic). A difference in the rate of growth between the front
and back of the spine is the leading theory.
Classification
Idiopathic scoliosis is categorized based on the age at which it begins.
Early Onset
• Infantile scoliosis occurs in children 3 years of age or less.
• Juvenile scoliosis occurs in children between the ages of
4 and 9 years of age.
Late Onset
• A
dolescent idiopathic scoliosis occurs between 10 and 17 years of age. Adult
idiopathic scoliosis is a slow increase in curvature that becan during teenage years in
an otherwise healthy individual and progresses during adult life.
• A
dult degenerative scoliosis, also known as “de novo” scoliosis, begins in the adult
patient due to degeneration of the discs, arthritis of the adjacent facet joints and
collapse and wedging of the disc space.
Natural History
Most patients with mild scoliosis at skeletal maturity (the end of growth), can be assured
that they will lead a normal life. There are no specific limitations on activity, including
sports for patients with scoliosis. Female patients have typical pregnancies; concerns
that their curve will progress during this period are unproven. For those patients with
more significant curves (i.e. greater than 45-50 degrees), there is a significant likelihood
that these curves will continue to worsen, even in adulthood. As a result of a progressive
curvature, patients may experience pain, worsening appearance and a decrease in lung
function with large curves over time.
Curve Progression
Although we do not know the cause of idiopathic scoliosis we do know that curves tend
to progress based on two major factors: growth remaining in the spine and the curve size.
Idiopathic scoliosis curves can get larger during growth of the spine especially during the
rapid adolescent growth spurt. Age, the timing of the onset of menstrual periods in girls, the
status of the growth plates of the pelvis and hand are all good predictors of how much spine
growth is left. Your physician can review these parameters to estimate the risk of curve
progression in your child. Even after your child stops growing, a large curve can get worse.
Generally, curves in the thoracic spine greater than 45 or 50 degrees and lumbar curves
greater than 35 or 40 degrees will progress even into adulthood. When significant growth
remains AND the curve is larger than these thresholds, curve progression is 100 percent.
Glossary
Adolescent Scoliosis - Lateral spinal curvature that appears between ten and eighteen
years of age.
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis - Adolescent scoliosis in which the cause has not been
established. Refer to Idiopathic Scoliosis.
Adult Scoliosis - Scoliosis of any cause which is present after skeletal maturity.
Anterior Spinal Fusion - A surgical technique which involves the removal of the
intervertebral disc, and replacement with bone graft. Additional structural supports may be
placed in the disc space, such as hard (cortical) bone grafts, metal or synthetic spacers, to
maintain good spinal alignment
Apex of Scoliosis - The area of greatest curvature or displacement from the midline of the
body.
Apical Vertebra - When referring to scoliosis, it is the vertebra with the greatest distance
from the midline and has the most rotation.
Autologous Blood - Blood collected from a person for later transfusion to that same
person. This technique is often used prior to elective surgery if blood loss is expected to
occur. This may avoid the use of bank blood from unknown donors
Autotransfusion - The practice and technique of transfusing previously drawn autologous
blood back to the same patient
Bone Graft - Human bone, which is harvested from one location in an individual
and placed in another individual (allograft bone) or in a different location in the same
individual (autogenous bone). A common place to take autogenous bone graft from is the
anterior and posterior iliac crests (the hip bones)
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Spinal Screening
Deformity: Procedure
Scoliosis and Guidelines for
Kyphosis Spinal Deformity
A Handbook for Scoliosis and
Patients Kyphosis
12-page brochure Recommendations
discusses signs for Examiners
and causes 7-page brochure
of scoliosis covers reasons,
and kyphosis, organization and
indications procedures for
for treatment, spinal screening.
treatment options, Signs of spinal
commonly asked deformity, as seen
questions and a in both standing
glossary of terms. and forward
Illustrated. bending positions,
are illustrated
and discussed.
Includes sample
screening form.