Neuromuscular scolioses. Course of treatment, principles Of therapy

The therapy of neuromuscular scolioses has to be tailored to the needs of t he individual patient; there are no universally valid schemes of treatment. Detailed knowledge of neuromuscular diseases and their course is essential . For this reason, an interdisciplinary team is desirable; only in this way c an all medical and surgical aspects of the underlying disease - which inter fere with the therapy of the scoliosis - be treated successfully. The continual improvement in medical treatment of neuromuscular disease in recent decades has led to a significant increase in life expectancy. In add ition, the severe consequences of failure to treat spinal deformities have become clear. Neglect or inadequate treatment of neuromuscular scolioses ca n have dramatic consequences, including inability to sit and serious impair ment of cardiorespiratory status. The goal of treatment is therefore to prevent the spinal deformities leadin g to a dangerous worsening of respiratory status. Moreover, the therapy sho uld improve function, which in most cases means restoring a stable sitting position. From the mechanical viewpoint this means restoration of spinal ba lance with a vertical spinal axis at right angles to a horizontal pelvis.