Aim: The study of quality of life in adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis (IS) that are treated conservatively with a brace.

Introduction: Study of patients’ quality of life, especially of those suffering a chronic disease that requires long term treatment, is of great interest in recent years. Although there are a lot of studies for psycological sequences in IS, only a few papers in the available literature are dealing with quality of life measurement. SF-36 generic questionnaire provides the physician with valuable outcomes of treatment in patients over 14 years old.

Material-Method: Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of IS, a curve between 20o–40o, age of the child between 14–16 years old, follow up by the same physician or team, conservative treatment of IS and minimum duration of brace treatment for 2 years. Twenty-eight children, 25 girls with a mean age 14.8 years old and 3 boys with a mean age 15 years old were included in the study and filled the form of SF-36 questionnaire. All children are still wearing the brace. A control group of 30 children were also filled SF-36 form.

Results: Mean score of SF-36 questionnaire was 76.29 (SD 9.105). Most negatively affected domains are Mental Health (mean score 54.3, SD 11.5) and Vitality (mean score 62.86, SD 16.5). Physical Functioning (mean score 79.3, SD 20.7), Role limitation due to Emotional problems (mean score 76.3, SD 25.23), Social Functioning (mean score 77.9, SD 17.13), Bodily Pain (mean score 79.6, SD 19.5) and General Health Perception (mean score 77.1, SD 19.94) are less affected domains. Best scores are achieved in Role limitation due to Physical problems (mean score 96.4, SD 9.45) and Change in Health (mean score 82.1, SD 23.78) domains.

Discussion-Conclusion: This report appears that brace treatment has negative effect on childrens’ quality of life. The use of SF-36 questionnaire through detection of most affected domains provides the physician a measurable outcome for child’s quality of life in order to 1) interfere with the selected method of conservative treatment and its modalities in a way that it would less affect the child and 2) provide the child specific psychological support by the doctor, the orthotist, the parents and the various voluntary organizations.

The attempt to achieve and institude the potential less minimal invasive hip hemiarthroplasty by using common instruments is the aim of our study.

We report on a randomly selected group of 80 patients, 40 of which were operated by a small incision 5–10 cm (group A) and 40 by a standard incision 15–20 cm (group B). The approach was through the gluteus medius muscle (lateral-Hartinge) in all of the cases. In group A an additional small transverse incision of the fascia was needed without any other inside extension. There were no statistical differences in gender, age (mean age 80 and 79 years old respectively), weight of the patients (average BMI 27,5 kg/m2 and 27 kg/m2 respectively) and implant type.

The operations were supervised by the same surgeon. PMMA was used in 18 of the cases in each group.

Blood loss was less in group A (mean 200cc less) and 21 patients were not transfused at all intraoperatively. A second assistant was necessary in educational operations. Four of the patients had postoperatively bruises and skin scratches. Early postoperative pain was less in the first group, but was the same two months postoperatively. Thirteen patients slept on the operated leg on the 2nd and 3rd postoperative day. Discharge from the hospital was available two days earlier in the first group. We had one hip dislocation in the first group in a psychiatric patient who had also DVT.

In conclusion , minimal invasive surgery in hip hemi-arthroplasty is possible to be performed with the use of common instruments and it is worth once while. Experience of the surgical team is necessary for reducing operative time and further research is needed for establishing possible contraindications.