Li G, Passias P, Kozanek M et al. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2009;34:2165–70.
In this retrospective comparative study, the authors compared outcomes in patients aged >65 years undergoing non-operative or operative treatment of adult-onset scoliosis. Patients treated operatively demonstrated significantly improved pain scores, health-related quality of life, self image, and mental health compared with patients undergoing conservative treatment.
In the ageing population in the West, the prevalence of adult scoliosis has been shown to be in excess of 60%, and the incidence has been shown to increase with age. Much of the literature relating to the outcomes of surgery for adult scoliosis has concentrated on younger adults, despite increasing numbers of patients undergoing corrective surgery aged >60 years. Few comparative data exist on operative versus non-operative treatment in this age group.