Unmet Needs of Surgical Care for Children: A Case Study in the Brazilian Publicly-Financed Health System.

 To measure and document the clinical impact of the waiting time for surgical treatment of patients with spinal deformities in a quaternary center in Brazil.  In total, 59 patients with spinal deformity waiting for surgery on our hospital's list were evaluated to observe the impact of the waiting time on the progression of the deformity. Patient evaluation was performed using the SRS-22r questionnaire for health-related quality of life (HRQL) and radiographic images to evaluate the deformity of the spine at the time the patients were included in the waiting list and at the most recent appointment.

Community Care Administration of Spinal Deformities in the Brazilian Public Health System.

Objective:: Underfunding of the surgical treatment of complex spinal deformities has been an important reason for the steadily growing waiting lists in publicly funded healthcare systems. The aim of this study is to characterize the management of the treatment of spinal deformities in the public healthcare system.

Methods:: A cross-sectional study of 60 patients with complex pediatric spinal deformities waiting for treatment in December 2013 was performed.