Distraction-Based Treatment Maintains Predicted Thoracic Dimensions in Early-Onset Scoliosis.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Examination of distraction-based treatment effect on thoracic dimensions in patients compared to predicted individual normal values, at initial treatment and subsequent follow-up after lengthenings.

Summary Of Background Data: Change in thoracic dimensions and spine length is an important outcome measure in treatment of children with early-onset scoliosis; however, it is difficult to use to make comparisons between patients and the normal population because of the heterogeneous nature of early-onset scoliosis.