RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Cardiac and respiratory function before and after spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
JF Thorax
JO Thorax
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
SP 658
OP 661
DO 10.1136/thx.34.5.658
VO 34
IS 5
A1 Shneerson, J M
A1 Edgar, M A
YR 1979
UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/34/5/658.abstract
AB Ten girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were studied before and 17-23 months after spinal fusion. None had any cardiac or respiratory disease complicating the scoliosis. They underwent a range of resting lung function tests and a progressive exercise test. The mean angle of scoliosis decreased from 65.8 to 27.3 degrees after operation but the only significant physiological benefit detected in this study was a decrease in the submaximal minute ventilation. The physiological benefit of spinal fusion was therefore much less prominent than the anatomical improvement of the spinal curvature.