While technical outcomes of surgery are well known and show obvious benefits for those with significant deformity, long-term health related outcomes have yet to be precisely documented. The lack of quality, long-term studies of sufficient size hampers our understanding of the mortality and morbidity rates for patients with congenital and idiopathic scoliosis, with and without treatment. Fifty years of follow-up studies of children and adolescents with untreated scoliosis have shown conflicting results, with some studies indicating a higher risk of mortality and respiratory compromise.1,2
Another study shows compromise only in patients with early reduced lung function and a large curvature.3 Yet another study has shown no differences in untreated childhood scoliosis and a control group.4 Several articles from the 1960s and one recent article report that low back pain does not occur more frequently in untreated scoliosis patients than in the general population4,5,6 unless the curvature is greater than 40°.7,8 It has also been shown that persons treated with surgery rather than bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have less pain at 10- to 20-year follow-up, although function remains similar.9,10 The cosmetic/self-image aspect of scoliosis is obvious and important, and often a major factor affecting the lives of individuals with this condition.