Surgical versus non-surgical interventions for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a Cochrane review protocol

Background The main aims of all clinical interventions in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are to limit curve progression, restore trunk balance and prevent long-term consequences of the deformity. Two separate Cochrane reviews have already reviewed the effects of non-surgical interventions (Negrini, 2010 and Romano, 2012). A further scoping search identified four systematic reviews, however full methodological appraisals within these reviews were very limited (Weiss, 2008), indicating the need for a high-quality Cochrane review focusing on surgical interventions.