Successful surgery for scoliosis supported by pulmonary rehabilitation in a duchenne muscular dystrophy patient with forced vital capacity below 10%.
Low vital capacity is a risk factor for scoliosis correction operation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients, but pulmonary rehabilitation, including noninvasive intermittent positive pressure ventilator application, air stacking exercise, and assisted coughing technique, reduces the pulmonary complications and perioperative mortality risk. In this case, the patient's preoperative forced vital capacity (FVC) was 8.6% of normal predicted value in sitting position and 9.4% in supine position. He started pulmonary rehabilitation before the operation and continued right after the operation. Scoliosis correction operation was successful without any pulmonary complications, and his discomfort in sitting position was improved. If pulmonary rehabilitative support is provided properly, FVC below 10% of normal predicted value is not a contraindication of scoliosis correction operation in DMD patients.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jang Woo
JW
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medine, Seoul, Korea.
Yu Hui
YH
Won
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Won Ah
WA
Choi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Soon Kyu
SK
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seong Woong
SW
Kang
Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Low vital capacity; Pulmonary rehabilitation; Scoliosis