[Neuromuscular scoliosis. Follow-up of treatment and therapeutic principles].

The therapy of neuromuscular scolioses has to be tailored to the needs to the individual patient; there are no universally valid schemes of treatment. Detailed knowledge of neuromuscular diseases and their course is essential. For this reason, an interdisciplinary team is desirable; only in this way can all medical and surgical aspects of the underlying disease--which interfere with the therapy of the scoliosis--be treated successfully. The continual improvement in medical treatment of neuromuscular disease in recent decades has led to a significant increase in life expectancy. In addition, the severe consequences of failure to treat spinal deformities have become clear. Neglect or inadequate treatment of neuromuscular scolioses can have dramatic consequences, including inability to sit and serious impairment of cardiorespiratory status. The goal of treatment is therefore to prevent the spinal deformities leading to a dangerous worsening of respiratory status. Moreover, the therapy should improve function, which in most cases means restoring a stable sitting position. From the mechanical viewpoint this means restoration of spinal balance with a vertical spinal axis at right angles to a horizontal pelvis.