Retrospective evaluation of 113 children with scoliosis.

To evaluate demographic features, preoperative pulmonary function tests and echocardiographic examinations of 113 children with scoliosis and to determine the associations between preoperative investigations and postoperative complications. Medical records, preoperative pulmonary function tests and echocardiographic examinations of 113 children with scoliosis who were operated between January 2004 and 2006 were evaluated retrospectively. Associations between preoperative pulmonary function tests, preoperative pulmonary symptoms and postoperative pulmonary complications were investigated. There were 37 male and 76 female patients. The mean ages of the patients at the time of the first and last surgery were 11.2 +/- 3.8 and 11.7 +/- 3.6 years respectively. The mean number of surgery performed for scoliosis was 1.5 +/- 1.4. Idiopathic scoliosis was the most common form constituting 42.5% of the patients. 68.1% of the patients had no preoperative pulmonary symptoms. Normal preoperative FVC, FEV(1), PEF and MEF(25-75) values were detected in 43.4%, 58.4%, 53.1% and 65.5% of the patients respectively. Echocardiograms were found normal in 34.5% of them. The most common cardiac valve anomaly was mitral valve prolapse which was detected in 25.7% of the patients. No significant associations were found between preoperative pulmonary function tests, preoperative pulmonary symptoms and postoperative pulmonary complications of children with scoliosis in our study.