A tale of two brothers: ultra-long-term follow-up of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to demonstrate the life-saving benefit of spine fusion for progressive juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. A follow-up of this duration (73 years) has never been previously reported.


RESULTS
The properly treated patient is alive and well 73 years after surgery, but the brother whose curve was ignored died of cor pulmonale at age 45.


CONCLUSIONS
Properly done spine fusion can save the life of children with progressive juvenile idiopathic scoliosis.
Winter
Robert B
RB
Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Twin Cities Spine Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA. jwinhaven@aol.com
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D035781:Siblings; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome