title: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - to operate or not? A debate article.
abstract: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) represents a rare condition with a potentially detrimental impact on young patients. Despite vast clinical research and published treatment guidelines and algorithms, the optimal therapeutic choice for these patients remains highly controversial. While advocates of early surgery emphasize the benefits of surgical deformity correction with regard to physical and psychological outcome, the opponents base their arguments on the high risk of complications and a lack of documented subjective long-term outcome. In the present paper, the authors were invited to debate the opposite positions of "pro" versus "contra" surgical treatment of AIS, based on the currently available evidence and published guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Asklepios Katharina Schroth Spinal Deformities Rehabilitation Center, D-55566 Bad Sobernheim, Germany. hr.weiss@asklepios.com.
authors.forename: Hans-Rudolf
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bess
authors.forename: Man Sang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goodall
authors.forename: Evalina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burger