Scoliosis uses the 45 to 50° threshold as a result of the well-documented, plus or minus 5° measurement error that can occur while measuring Cobb angles. Surgeons who are specialized in spine surgery perform surgery for scoliosis. To completely straighten a scoliotic spine is usually impossible, but for the most part, significant corrections are achieved. The two main types of surgery are: One or both of these surgical procedures may be needed. The surgery may be done in one or two stages and, on average, takes four to eight hours. A 50-year follow-up study published in the "Journal of the American
Scoliosis in life secondary to degenerative (may or may not be associated with aging) changes. This is a type of deformity that starts and progresses because of the collapse of the vertebral column in an asymmetrical manner. People who initially present with scoliosis undergo physical examination to determine whether the deformity has an underlying cause and to exclude the possibility of underlying condition more serious than simple scoliosis. The person's gait is assessed, with an exam for signs of other abnormalities (e.g., spina bifida as evidenced by a dimple, hairy patch, lipoma, or hemangioma). A thorough neurological examination is also performed,