Background: Scoliosis is one of the most common spinal deformities with subsequent decrease in pulmonary function. The effects of surgical correction on the pulmonary function of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are controversial. The purpose of the present study was to compare the postoperative pulmonary function changes in different surgical approaches chosen for its correction.

Methods: Sixty-five patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who had undergone corrective spinal surgery in Shafa Yahyaian Hospital since 1997 to 2007 and had documented preoperative pulmonary function test report, included in our study. The patients had documented preoperative pulmonary function tests and were divided into three groups based on their surgical approach. The first group was comprised of 25 patients who had undergone posterior spinal fusion (PSF), the second group included 29 patients who had anterior and posterior spinal fusion (ASF+PSF), and the third group consisted of 10 patients who had posterior spinal fusion and thoracoplasty (PSF+ thoracoplasty). The preoperative and the final follow-up values of absolute and percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were compared and their relations with the undertaken surgical approach were evaluated.

Results: There were no significant correlations between the surgical approaches and changes in the pulmonary function tests (P>0.05). FVC and FEV1 values were similar to preoperative values in all groups after a minimum follow-up of two years.

Conclusion: There were no significant differences between different surgical approaches for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis regarding the pulmonary function test results after at least two years of follow-up.