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World J Clin Cases. May 26, 2026; 14(15): 118765
Published online May 26, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i15.118765
Published online May 26, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i15.118765
Long-term outcomes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Natural history of untreated, braced, surgically treated patients in adult life
Anil Kumar, Kaustubh Ahuja, Department of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, Uttarākhand, India
Athanasios I Tsirikos, Scottish National Spine Deformity Centre, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh EH9 1LF, United Kingdom
Co-corresponding authors: Kaustubh Ahuja and Athanasios I Tsirikos.
Author contributions: Kumar A performed the literature search, data synthesis, and drafted the manuscript; Ahuja K contributed to data interpretation; Ahuja K and Tsirikos AI critically revised the manuscript and they contributed equally to this manuscript as co-corresponding authors; Tsirikos AI conceptualized the study, supervised the work, and approved the final version. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly were used only for language editing and grammar refinement. No AI tool was used to generate scientific content, interpret data, design the study, or draw conclusions. All intellectual content, including literature synthesis, analysis, and interpretation, is the original work of the authors. No images or figures were generated using AI.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Athanasios I Tsirikos, MD, PhD, FRCS, Scottish National Spine Deformity Centre, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LF, United Kingdom. atsirikos@hotmail.com
Received: January 12, 2026
Revised: February 13, 2026
Accepted: March 30, 2026
Published online: May 26, 2026
Processing time: 122 Days and 15.6 Hours
Revised: February 13, 2026
Accepted: March 30, 2026
Published online: May 26, 2026
Processing time: 122 Days and 15.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a heterogeneous condition with outcomes extending into adult life. This review synthesizes four decades of evidence on untreated, braced, and surgically treated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Curves < 50° generally follow a benign adult course, whereas progressive deformity may impair self-image and function. Timely bracing and appropriately indicated surgery provide favorable long-term functional and psychosocial outcomes, highlighting the importance of individualized care and shared decision-making.