Scoliosis is estimated to affect about 2% to 4% of children. Although in most cases of scoliosis, causes are unknown (idiopathic), genetics is believed to play a role. Adults may develop functional scoliosis in the presence of severe muscle spasm caused by muscle strain, degeneration diseases or injury of the spine. Adult degenerative scoliosis is more common in the lower back, and symptoms include pain in the back and/or legs, spinal deformity, and neurological pain and/or leg numbness in the case of neurologic injury.
If left untreated, scoliosis may cause the spine to buckle under the added load and the curve will worsen. Furthermore, the continuing rotation of the spine induced by the scoliosis condition will contribute to decrease lung capacity and the development of restrictive lung disease. Lung disease may cause severe damage to the body and/or death.
BRACES
Treatment for patients with progressing curves in a skeletally immature patient (children under 15 years old) is usually centered on use of a brace. Wearing a brace won’t cure or reverse the scoliosis, but it may prevent further progression of the curve as a child continues to grow. The individual will continue to wear the brace until the skeletal is mature and stops to grow. Then, there is little likelihood of progression of a curve. Unfortunately, even with appropriate bracing, it is difficult to stop the progression of the curve. For these cases, surgery may be required to stop the progression of the curve and fix the spine.
SURGERY
Severe scoliosis may require surgery to reduce the severity of the spinal curve and to prevent it from getting worse. The common approach to scoliosis surgery is the spinal fusion which uses metal rods, screws, hooks to hold the spine and prevent vertebrae to move independently while bone graft or biomaterial placed between the vertebrae fuses together with existing vertebrae bone. Once the vertebrae fuse, the spine con not move anymore and the curve cannot progress.