STUDY OF VENTILATORY FUNCTION BEFORE AND AFTER IDIOPATHIC CHEST SCOLIOSIS SURGERY BY THE HARRINGTON METHOD

Objective. To study the evolution and ventilatory function measured by spirometry after surgery with the Harrington method for idiopathic th oracic scoliosis. Patients and methods. A prospective study with evalu ation of changes in scoliosis angle following the Cobb method, as well as ventilatory parameters after surgery, measured after a mean time o f 19.2 +/- 11.8 (range: 9-60) months post-surgery. Twenty patients wer e studied, 6 men and 14 women, with no previous respiratory conditions , with ages ranging from 12 and 35 years, and a mean of 16.3 +/- 4.6 y ears, and all of them with the diagnosis of idiopathic thoracic scolio sis and with pre-surgery angle of 59.9 degrees +/- 13.5 degrees. Resul ts. No statistically significant changes were observed in any of the v entilatory parameters considering both the absolute value and percenta ge of the theoretical value, although there was indeed a significant i mprovement in the scoliosis angle. Conclusions. In our study no ventil atory function improvement was observed after scoliosis surgery, altho ugh we cannot say that the results were the same if the previous thora cic deformity were more remarkable and caused greater changes in venti latory parameters.