Health and Function of Patients With Untreated Idiopathic Scoliosis

Abstract

Late-onset idiopathic scoliosis (LIS) is a structural lateral curvature of the spine arising in otherwise normal children usually during puberty. The diagnosis is made when other causes of scoliosis, such as neuromuscular disorder, vertebral malformation, trauma, or tumor, have been ruled out. Epidemiological and natural history studies estimate that 1% to 3% of the at-risk population will have some degree of curvature, with the vast majority of curves requiring no intervention.^1-7 Applying these estimates to current population figures, LIS affects more than 60 000 adolescents in the United States.⁸ In 1995, there were an estimated 602 884 visits to private physician offices associated with the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)⁹ code 737.30 for idiopathic scoliosis.¹⁰ Of these visits, 37% were to physicians other than orthopedic surgeons, making the clinical course of idiopathic scoliosis of importance to multiple disciplines.