Scoliosis Surgery in a Patient With Advanced Friedreich's Ataxia-It Is Not Too Late

Friedreich's ataxia is a multisystem disorder with scoliosis being the most common non-neurological manifestation. While scoliosis surgery is typically performed in adolescent, ambulatory patients, few data exist on surgical outcomes in patients with advanced disease. We present a 38-year-old woman with late-stage Friedreich's ataxia and pronounced thoracolumbar scoliosis (Cobb angle 48°) causing severe pain and limited sitting tolerance. After posterior corrective spondylodesis (T4-ilium), she reported marked improvements in pain, sitting tolerance, function, and quality of life in the SF-36 questionnaire. This case highlights the potential for substantial clinical and functional benefits from scoliosis surgery in patients with advanced Friedreich's ataxia.