Effect of surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis on the quality of life: a prospective study with a minimum 5-year follow-up

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the quality of life (QoL), functionality, and body image of subjects who had undergone surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) 5–12 years previously, and to identify the outcome predictors. Methods: The sample consisted of 87 patients for whom follow-up data were available out of a series of 91 patients who had surgery for AIS between 2002 and 2009. We assessed the preoperative, 1-year postoperative, and 5-year or more postoperative SF-36 and SRS-23 questionnaire scores. Longitudinal clinical and radiographic data also were evaluated. Changes in the patient-oriented outcomes were compared with age and sex-adjusted normative values. A multiple regression analysis was used to identify possible outcome predictors. Results: Preoperatively, patients had impaired QoL, functionality, and body image compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Surgery led to significant improvement of the SF-36 and SRS scores at the one-year and final control date, but the final scores on SF-36’s physical indexes were lower than control subjects’ scores. No clinically relevant differences with the normative values were detected in the final SRS scores. The height of the residual rib hump negatively predicted the total SRS and self-image scores; a more caudal level of fusion correlated with more postoperative pain. Conclusions: Patients who underwent surgery for AIS a minimum of 5 years earlier had impaired self-reported physical QoL compared to control subjects, but they nevertheless performed better than before their surgery. Greater size of the residual hump and greater distal extension of the fusion area are negatively correlated with final self reported outcome.