Prevention of the complications of scoliosis by early detection.

The focus of medicine has increasingly turned toward prevention rather than treatment of disease. In the absence of the ability to prevent the occurrence of scoliosis, the focus of attention should be on early identification in order to prevent complications brought on by the disease. Scoliosis detection through screening of school children is a technique that has been popularized over the last three decades. The screening technique can be performed by trained personnel. Though the initial result of these screenings was over-diagnosis, the program has been shown to be cost-effective when the screeners are well-trained and appropriate referrals are made to minimize the lack of specificity. The use of the scoliometer to make a quantitative determination of the degree of truncal rotation has reduced the number of inappropriate referrals. The complications of scoliosis itself include pulmonary compromise, pain, and deformity; these are best prevented by early detection and early treatment. When scoliosis is treated late and larger curves are present, more involved and complication-ridden procedures are required. School children screening programs promote a better understanding and heightened awareness of this disease and acceptance of the treatment methods by the public.