Debate

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis – to operate or not? A debate article

Hans-Rudolf Weiss¹ , Shay Bess² , Man Sang Wong³ , Vikas Patel⁴ , Deborah Goodall⁵ and Evalina Burger⁴

¹Asklepios Katharina Schroth Spinal Deformities Rehabilitation Center, D-55566 Bad Sobernheim, Germany

²Colorado Spine and Scoliosis Institute, Lonetree, CO, 80124, USA

³Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, PR China

⁴Departmet of Orthopedics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA

⁵Rehabilitation services, Ealing Hospital, Uxbridge Road, Southall, London, UB1 3HW, UK

author email corresponding author email

Patient Safety in Surgery 2008, 2:25doi:10.1186/1754-9493-2-25

Published:	30 September 2008

Abstract

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) represents a rare condition with a potentially detrimental impact on young patients. Despite vast clinical research and published treatment guidelines and algorithms, the optimal therapeutic choice for these patients remains highly controversial. While advocates of early surgery emphasize the benefits of surgical deformity correction with regard to physical and psychological outcome, the opponents base their arguments on the high risk of complications and a lack of documented subjective long-term outcome. In the present paper, the authors were invited to debate the opposite positions of "pro" versus "contra" surgical treatment of AIS, based on the currently available evidence and published guidelines.