Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis accounts for 80–85% of all lateral curvatures, and negatively affects pulmonary functions. The concave rib osteotomy technique is designed to provide additional mobility and flexibility of the spine, especially for rigid curves during correction. Only a few studies have investigated the effect of concave rib osteotomy on pulmonary functions. We undertook a prospective study of 127 patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion for correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Patients were divided according to their Cobb angle into two groups: group 1 (n=78) with a Cobb angle greater than 70° who underwent an additional concave rib osteotomy (CRO); and group 2 (n=49) with a Cobb angle less than 70° who did not (NCRO). All patients received a programme of pulmonary rehabilitation immediately after the operation for 1 year. Vital capacity (VC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) were measured preoperatively, at 3 months and 12 months postoperatively, and at 5 years postoperatively.Introduction
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