Early Onset Scoliosis (EOS) :

Early onset scoliosis (EOS) deformities are rare conditions in a heterogeneous group of children with a wide variety of available treatment options, both operative and non-operative. While children with later (adolescent) onset scoliosis certainly have decreased quality of life concerns because of their deformity, children with EOS have the potential for deformity progression that can be life-threatening because of the effects on the cardiopulmonary systems. While many of the patients we treat with EOS have known neuromuscular etiologies of their scoliosis, so-called idiopathic cases have remained a fascinating mystery for treating surgeons for decades, as the pathophysiology of their disease is completely unknown. Our team is applying comprehensive genomic strategies to identify the genetic factors and biologic mechanisms that underly iEOS, with the goal of improving diagnosis and care for these children.