Background: Scoliosis has been shown to affect quality of life of young people. There can be a lengthy wait for surgery. We aim to assess whether the length of time waiting for surgery has an impact on quality of life and surgical outcomes. Methods: Patients who were waiting for or had completed surgery for paediatric spinal deformity in the last 3 years were contacted and asked to complete the Scoliosis Research Society-30 (SRS-30) questionnaire as well as a questionnaire designed to specifically assess the impact of waiting for surgery. Hospital records and X-rays were reviewed to determine surgical outcomes. Results: Longer waiting time was associated with both lower SRS scores (0.13 points per 6 months, P = 0.01) and lower wait time questionnaire values (0.12 points per 6 months, P < 0.01). Within the SRS-30 questionnaire, pain, satisfaction with management and self-image domains showed a statistically significant decrease with increasing wait time (P = 0.02, 0.05, >0.01 respectively). Cobb angles progressed with increased waiting time, but progression was not statistically significant. No correlation was found between waiting times and the other surgical outcomes measured (surgical duration, hospital stay, blood transfusion, return to theatre or other complications). Conclusion: Increased waiting time for surgery has a negative impact on quality of life of patients with scoliosis.

Patients with no vomiting, no guarding, who have normal pulse rates and normal white cell counts are unlikely to have significant pathology requiring further active intervention either medical or surgical.

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