The use of thoracoplasty in the surgical treatment of idiopathic scoliosis.
BACKGROUND
Rib prominence on the convex side results from vertebral rotation. The cosmetic deformity of the back in scoliosis is only partially corrected by operations on the spine itself, whilst costoplasty addresses the problem directly, and improves the cosmesis.


OBJECTIVE
Our experience in convex and concave side thoracoplasty is discussed.


METHODS
The selection of the patients for thoracoplasty was done primarily taking into consideration the cosmetic disturbance of the rib hump and the consequences to the psychism of the patient. A total of 35 scoliotic patients (32 females and 3 males) with mean age 18.8 years underwent thoracoplasty in combination with posterior spinal fusion. In 23 patients (3 males and 20 females) convex side thoracoplasty (rib resection at the site of the hump) was done as a first stage procedure (18 patients) or a second stage procedure (5 patients). In the patients with spinal fusion at the same time, the resected ribs were used as bone graft. 12 female patients were treated with concave side thoracoplasty (osteotomies of the medial part of the ribs and elevation of the ribs on the instrumentation rod) as a first stage procedure combined with spinal fusion, while in one 22 female patient both side thoracoplasty was done as a second stage procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Either form of thoracoplasty was an effective and impressive way to improve the patient's appearance although it was not possible to quantify the results. The complications that were presented viz. 4 haemopneumothorax, 2 pneumothorax, 2 pneumonia) were treated successfully.
Soultanis
K
K
1rst Orthopaedic Department, University of Athens, ATTIKON Hospital, Greece.
Pyrovolou
N
N
Karamitros
A
A
Konstantinou
V
V
Lenti
A
A
Soucacos
P N
PN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013905:Thoracoplasty / Q000379:methods*