Management of Severe Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of scoliosis in the pediatric population. Skeletal maturity and curve severity play a major role when it comes to progression risks and indications for surgery. Curvatures of greater than 45 degrees in a skeletally immature patient pose a high risk for progression and subsequent deformity. Surgical correction of severe deformity is a complex topic and spans all phases of patient care, including preoperative testing/planning, intraoperative surgical techniques, and postoperative management. This article seeks to review current management strategies for patients with severe adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.