Long-term surgical outcomes of idiopathic versus congenital scoliosis: A retrospective study from a tertiary referral center

Objectives: Scoliosis is a common spinal deformity that, in some cases, requires corrective surgery. This study aimed to compare long-term outcomes of corrective surgery in patients with idiopathic versus congenital scoliosis (CS). Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted on 81 adolescent patients aged 10–20 years with idiopathic (56 cases) or congenital (25 cases) scoliosis who underwent definitive corrective spinal surgery between October 2007 and December 2021. We excluded cases with <24 months of follow-up and those involving patients who underwent growth-respecting spinal surgeries. Post-surgical outcomes were assessed using the Revised Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire. Results: The findings indicated that the overall questionnaire score was significantly higher in patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) than in those with CS ( P = 0.022). In addition, self-image ( P = 0.023) and mental health ( P = 0.015) scores were significantly better in the IS group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of physical function ( P = 0.478), pain ( P = 0.376), or satisfaction with the surgery ( P = 0.308). Furthermore, females with IS had significantly better self-image and mental health scores than those with CS. Conclusion: Corrective spinal surgery positively impacts patients’ quality of life, but patients with CS, especially females, may experience more psychological and social challenges.