Scoliosis in Children: Surgical Management and Postoperative Radiographic Appearances

A component of the evaluation of scoliosis in children is radiography of the spine, initially in anteroposterior and lateral projections. In selected circumstances, additional imaging of the neural axis with magnetic resonance imaging is indicated to identify or exclude an associated spinal cord or neural canal abnormality. The initial management of scoliosis is almost always conservative, employing bracing or casting. When conservative methods fail to control curvature progression, spinal surgery is indicated. A variety of instrumentation devices have been developed in order to reduce and stabilize spinal curvatures. This article will dicuss and illustrate the more frequently used instrumentation devices as well as other selected aspects of spinal surgery.