Conservative Management of Neuromuscular Scoliosis: Personal Experience and Review of Literature

Purpose: The principles of conservative management of neuromuscular scoliosis in childhood and adolescence are presented.

Methods: Analysis of personal experience and literature review. The topic is discussed separately for patients with flaccid or spastic paresis.

Results: These demonstrate that conservative management might be proposed for patients with neuromuscular scoliosis in many clinical situations. In spastic disorders, it maintains the symmetry around the hip joints. Bracing is technically difficult and often is not tolerated well by cerebral palsy children. In patients with flaccid paresis, the fitting and the use of brace is easier than in spastic patients. The flexibility of the spinal curvature is more important. Functional benefits of conservative management of neuromuscular scoliosis comprise stable sitting, easier use of upper limbs, discharge of the abdomen from the collapsing trunk, increased diaphragm excursion, and, not always, prevention of curve progression.

Conclusions: Specific natural history and multiple medical problems associated with the disease make the treatment of children with neuromuscular scoliosis an extremely complex issue, best addressed when a team approach is applied. Continuously improving techniques of conservative management, comprising bracing and physiotherapy, together with correctly timed surgery incorporated in the process of rehabilitation, provide the optimal care for patients.