Scoliosis is more common in girls than boys. As a result, most research studies tend to focus on girls. There have been a couple of studies comparing the outcome of scoliosis surgery between boys and girls.
Studies have concluded that boys and girls were similar in:
- Size of pre-operative curve
- The amount of correction they receive from surgery
- The number of vertebrae that are fused
- Surgical time and length of hospital stay
- The number of complications following surgery
- The size of the rib prominence following surgery
- Back strength and flexibility following surgery
- Lung function before and after surgery
Boys were different from girls in that:
- Boys’ spines were more rigid than girls before surgery.
- Blood loss during surgery was greater in boys.
- Pain scores on the first day following surgery were higher in boys.
