EXPERIMENTAL SCOLIOSIS INDUCED BY RIB RESECTION IN CHICKENS

Factors which affected the severity of scoliosis induced by rib resect ion were examined. Seventy chickens were divided into a rib transectio n group and a rib resection group with seven subgroups, according to t he number of ribs treated and the age at surgery, and examined radiogr aphically until 20 weeks postoperatively. Rib transection group chicke ns showed fusion at the transected site and no marked scoliosis. In th e rib resection group, the more ribs resected and the younger the age at operation, the more severely the scoliosis developed. Bone regenera tion at the resection site made the progression of scoliosis milder. T hese findings indicate that the age at rib resection, the number of ri bs that are operated on, and nonunion of the resected sites play impor tant roles in the progression of scoliosis induced by rib resection.