In Focus

Scoliosis Office — Information and Approach to Treatment

Scoliosis is a complex three–dimensional deformity of the spinal column and trunk. Functional and possibly structural changes occur in all three body planes, and it can be defined as a torsional deformity (Grivas 2006). The most common type of scoliosis is idiopathic scoliosis, accounting for about 80% of all cases. The remaining 20% are scoliosis with a known cause: congenital, neuromuscular, syndromic. Neuromuscular occurs as a consequence of various diseases (cerebral palsy, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, muscular dystrophies, Marfan syndrome, and other conditions).

Idiopathic scoliosis is divided into: infantile (0 — 3 years), juvenile (4 — 9 years) and adolescent (9 — 17 years), according to the age at which the symptoms are first observed.

Scoliosis treatment is carried out by a multidisciplinary team, consisting of qualified specialists: orthopedist, physiatrist, physiotherapist, orthotist, psychologist, as well as the patient and his family. The treatment is individually planned according to the degree of deformation and the risk of progression. The treatment can be conservative or surgical. The conservative treatment aims to slow down and prevent the progression of the deformation, in order to postpone or avoid the need for surgical intervention.

Since 2022, the Scoliosis Office has been operating at the SBCPRN, staffed by doctors and physiotherapists certified in the diagnosis, monitoring and orthodontic treatment of scoliosis, according to the principles of the Schroth method. Monitoring and treatment are carried out in accordance with modern international recommendations.

The doctors involved in the work of the Office hold certificates from the ISST Institute in Germany, for the application of the Schroth method — a specialized, non–surgical approach to the treatment of spinal deformities.

In addition to the certificate for the application of the Schroth method, Dubravka Radulović M.D., Senior Consultant has also obtained a certificate at the ISST Institute in Germany for the Brace Master Course Level I within the Schroth concept.

Further development of the Office with advanced training of doctors and physiotherapists is planned.

Scoliosis treatment is demanding, long–term and uncertain, because scoliosis is a dynamic process. Therefore, it is essential that both patients and parents, as well as members of the professional team, recognize changes in the therapeutic process in a timely manner.

Motivation, commitment and discipline are key factors for achieving the best possible treatment results.