The Brush Foundation studies on human growth and development, begun in 1931 and terminated in 1942, have been intensively reviewed and studied by Dr Greulich and Miss Pyle in the formulation of this Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist Serial radiographs of from 2 to 20 hand-films made at successive examinations of each of 1000 boys and girls made up the radiographic material Standards were selected that were judged to be the most representative of the central tendency or anatomic mode of each chronologic age group from birth through 18 years

Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist

argument is often, if not acrimonious, at least heated. It gives an impression of the fluidity of opinion on many fundamental ideas under discussion and of the urgency with which cardiac cyanosis in the newborn is regarded. When Dr. William Muscott says that the earliest he has operated for pulmonary stenosis is on an infant 3 days old, and Sir Russell Brock agrees that the earlier in the first month that operation is undertaken the better, and when Dr. Varco asks Dr. Senning 'so far as I know they have never yet catheterized any child intrauterine in Sweden, but they have done it through the delivery canal sometimes-would you tell us the indications of the Scandinavian group for catheterization in the immediate newborn period?', one is indeed being kept up with the times. But that was two years ago and already some of the questions then debated have since been answered. This beautifully printed and well-illustrated stiff paperbacked volume is, and will for a few years yet remain, an invaluable companion to a full-scale textbook on congenital heart disease.

Growth at Adolescence.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a lifetime, probably systemic condition of unknown cause, resulting in a spinal curve or curves of ten degrees or more in about 2.5% of most populations. However, in only about 0.25% does the curve progress to the point that treatment is warranted. Untreated, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis does not increase mortality rate, even though on rare occasions it can progress to the >100° range and cause premature death. The rate of shortness of breath is not increased, although patients with 50° curves at maturity or 80° curves during adulthood are at increased risk of developing shortness of breath. Compared to non-scoliotic controls, most patients with untreated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis function at or near normal levels. They do have increased pain prevalence and may or may not have increased pain severity. Self-image is often decreased. Mental health is usually not affected. Social function, including marriage and childbearing may be affected, but only at the threshold of relatively larger curves. Non-operative treatment consists of bracing for curves of 25° to 35° or 40° in patients with one to two years or more of growth remaining. Curve progression of ≥ 6° is 20 to 40% more likely with observation than with bracing. Operative treatment consists of instrumentation and arthrodesis to realign and stabilize the most affected portion of the spine. Lasting curve improvement of approximately 40% is usually achieved. In the most completely studied series to date, at 20 to 28 years follow-up both braced and operated patients had similar, significant, and clinically meaningful reduced function and increased pain compared to non-scoliotic controls. However, their function and pain scores were much closer to normal than patient groups with other, more serious conditions. Risks associated with treatment include temporary decrease in self-image in braced patients. Operated patients face the usual risks of major surgery, a 6 to 29% chance of requiring reoperation, and the remote possibility of developing a pain management problem. Knowledge of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis natural history and long-term treatment effects is and will always remain somewhat incomplete. However, enough is know to provide patients and parents the information needed to make informed decisions about management options.

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Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: natural history and long term treatment effects

The International Scientific Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) produced its first guidelines in 2005 and renewed them in 2011. Recently published high-quality clinical trials on the effect of conservative treatment approaches (braces and exercises) for idiopathic scoliosis prompted us to update the last guidelines’ version. The objective was to align the guidelines with the new scientific evidence to assure faster knowledge transfer into clinical practice of conservative treatment for idiopathic scoliosis (CTIS). Physicians, researchers and allied health practitioners working in the area of CTIS were involved in the development of the 2016 guidelines. Multiple literature reviews reviewing the evidence on CTIS (assessment, bracing, physiotherapy, physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE) and other CTIS) were conducted. Documents, recommendations and practical approach flow charts were developed using a Delphi procedure. The process was completed with the Consensus Session held during the first combined SOSORT/IRSSD Meeting held in Banff, Canada, in May 2016. The contents of the new 2016 guidelines include the following: background on idiopathic scoliosis, description of CTIS approaches for various populations with flow-charts for clinical practice, as well as literature reviews and recommendations on assessment, bracing, PSSE and other CTIS. The present guidelines include a total of 68 recommendations divided into following topics: bracing (n = 25), PSSE to prevent scoliosis progression during growth (n = 12), PSSE during brace treatment and surgical therapy (n = 6), other conservative treatments (n = 2), respiratory function and exercises (n = 3), general sport activities (n = 6); and assessment (n = 14). According to the agreed strength and level of evidence rating scale, there were 2 recommendations on bracing and 1 recommendation on PSSE that reached level of recommendation “I” and level of evidence “II”. Three recommendations reached strength of recommendation A based on the level of evidence I (2 for bracing and one for assessment); 39 recommendations reached strength of recommendation B (20 for bracing, 13 for PSSE, and 6 for assessment).The number of paper for each level of evidence for each treatment is shown in Table 8. The 2016 SOSORT guidelines were developed based on the current evidence on CTIS. Over the last 5 years, high-quality evidence has started to emerge, particularly in the areas of efficacy of bracing (one large multicentre trial) and PSSE (three single-centre randomized controlled trials). Several grade A recommendations were presented. Despite the growing high-quality evidence, the heterogeneity of the study protocols limits generalizability of the recommendations. There is a need for standardization of research methods of conservative treatment effectiveness, as recognized by SOSORT and the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) non-operative management Committee.

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2016 SOSORT guidelines: orthopaedic and rehabilitation treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth.

The International Scientific Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), that produced its first Guidelines in 2005, felt the need to revise them and increase their scientific quality. The aim is to offer to all professionals and their patients an evidence-based updated review of the actual evidence on conservative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis (CTIS). All types of professionals (specialty physicians, and allied health professionals) engaged in CTIS have been involved together with a methodologist and a patient representative. A review of all the relevant literature and of the existing Guidelines have been performed. Documents, recommendations, and practical approach flow charts have been developed according to a Delphi procedure. A methodological and practical review has been made, and a final Consensus Session was held during the 2011 Barcelona SOSORT Meeting. The contents of the document are: methodology; generalities on idiopathic scoliosis; approach to CTIS in different patients, with practical flow-charts; literature review and recommendations on assessment, bracing, physiotherapy, Physiotherapeutic Specific Exercises (PSE) and other CTIS. Sixty-five recommendations have been given, divided in the following topics: Bracing (20 recommendations), PSE to prevent scoliosis progression during growth (8), PSE during brace treatment and surgical therapy (5), Other conservative treatments (3), Respiratory function and exercises (3), Sports activities (6), Assessment (20). No recommendations reached a Strength of Evidence level I; 2 were level II; 7 level III; and 20 level IV; through the Consensus procedure 26 reached level V and 10 level VI. The Strength of Recommendations was Grade A for 13, B for 49 and C for 3; none had grade D. These Guidelines have been a big effort of SOSORT to paint the actual situation of CTIS, starting from the evidence, and filling all the gray areas using a scientific method. According to results, it is possible to understand the lack of research in general on CTIS. SOSORT invites researchers to join, and clinicians to develop good research strategies to allow in the future to support or refute these recommendations according to new and stronger evidence.

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2011 SOSORT guidelines: Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth

A cohort of children was followed-up annually from an average age of 10.8-13.8 years to assess various measures of trunk asymmetry for their predictive value in the screening of scoliosis. Of 1060 children, 855 (80.7%) participated in the final examination. Trunk asymmetry was measured by the forward bending test and moire topography. A posteroanterior standing radiograph of the spine was taken of those 250 (29.2%) children who had a trunk hump > or = 8 mm. Only 8.3% of the children were found to be symmetric (hump 0-2 mm) in the forward bending test: 65.5% had a hump of 3-7 mm and 26.2% had a hump > or = 8 mm at 13.8 years. Also, moire fringe asymmetry proved to be common (prevalence of asymmetry > 1 fringe 47.3%), but its correlations with rib hump (r = 0.16) and Cobb angle (r = 0.12) were low. At the final examination, the prevalence of scoliosis (Cobb angle > or = 10 degrees) was 9.2%. Two girls (0.2%) needed brace treatment. The forward bending test is preferable to moire topography in screening for scoliosis, and a hump size of 6 mm at an average age of 10.8 years is the nearest to optimal as a screening threshold.

Trunk asymmetry and screening for scoliosis: a longitudinal cohort study of pubertal schoolchildren

A total of 1060 children (515 girls, 545 boys) were examined for screening of trunk asymmetry ans scoliosis at an average age of 10.8 years. The physical examination consisted of height, sitting height, total arm length and leg length inequality determinations and moire topography. Trunk asymmetry was measured by forward bending test and a posteroanterior standing radiograph of the spine was taken of those 188 (17.7%) children who had a trunk hump greater than or equal to 6 mm. Only 20.1% of the children were found to be exactly symmetric in the forward bending test, 47.3% had a right-sided hump and 32.6% had a left-side hump. Humps of 6 mm or more were significantly (p = 0.03) more prevalent among girls (21.7%) than boys (16.3%). More fringe asymmetry was provided to be common: only 9% of the material was totally symmetric, two thirds has asymmetry of less than or equal to 1 fringe, 26.6% has asymmetry greater than 1 and less than or equal or 2 and 5.4% greater than 2. The prevalence of scoliosis (trunk hump greater than or equal to 6 mm and Cobb angle less than or equal to 10 degree) was 4.1%. The majority (72.1%) of the curves were left convex.

M. Poussa

Papers

Trunk asymmetry and screening for scoliosis: a longitudinal cohort study of pubertal schoolchildren

Trunk asymmetry and scoliosis, Anthropometric measurements in prepuberal school children.