Surgery is reserved for curves greater than 75 degrees, where there is concern that there will be gradual progression after the completion of growth or in late adult life when there is a progressive loss of bone mass. Surgical treatment consists of both a correction of the deformity using spinal instrumentation and fusion of the involved portion of the spine to prevent progression later in life. To select the correct treatment of a given type of scoliosis, it is essential to understand the natural history of a given type of curve. There are many factors that allow the physician to predict the risk of a given type of curve getting worse. Basically, scoliosis gets worse during growth.
Larger curves are more likely to progress than smaller curves.
If your reach the end of growth with a curve greater than 50 degrees, then those curves tend to progress at about a degree per year. Understanding this natural history helps determine which curves need surgery. Please review our Privacy Policy or our Contact Information pages for more information.