Abstract

The authors presented long term results of the idiopathic scoliosis treated with the modified Harrington procedure with the usage of sublaminar wires.

57 patients were treated between 1991 and 1997 (8 boys and 49 girls). The age of the patients during the operation varied between 11–16 years 14,3 on average. The results showed that operative treatment of lateral scoliosis with modified Harrington procedure gave a partial correction of the scoliosis and partial loss of the major initial correction within the first 2 years. The usage of the body jacket and a late mobilization did not prevent the loss of correction. In the scoliosis smaller than 60 degrees by Cobb the loss was greater than in scoliosis with more than 60 degrees. Despite the loss of correction the treatment of a scoliosis with modified Harrington procedure may be used to treat large scoliosis (angle greater than 60 degrees) in which usage of more complex method is contraindicated.