SPECIAL ARTICLE  SCOLIOSIS 

Minerva Orthopedics 2021 June;72(3):302-7

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8469.21.04100-X

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Recent advances in the surgical management of congenital scoliosis in children

Sébastien PESENTI, Elie CHOUFANI, Jean-Luc JOUVE ✉

Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Timone Enfants Hospital, Marseille, France

Vertebral malformation is the most common cause of early onset scoliosis in children. Due to huge spinal deformity occurring in very young children, the surgical treatment remains extremely challenging. Technical limits made that these children were usually treated conservatively, leading to bad functional outcomes in adulthood. Furthermore, it is now largely known that, if left untreated, large congenital spinal deformity leads to major impairment of respiratory function with shorter life expectancy. During the past fifteen years, the treatment of congenital scoliosis has undergone major advances. Correction of major congenital deformities, which would have been impossible 15 years ago, are now possible thanks to technologic advancement. These progresses concern preoperative assessment as well as intraoperative aids. It has led to a real paradigm shift for the management of the patients. Surgery should be considered even in older patients with structural deformity. Even though this type of surgery is associated with high complication rates, surgery is now efficient and leads to undeniable long-term benefits, making the risk/benefit ratio moving in the favor of surgical treatment.

KEY WORDS: Orthopedics; Surgical procedures, operative; Scoliosis