Pulmonary Physiology in Children

Measurements of lung volumes, compliance and resistance, and effective respiratory muscle strength have been carried out in a series of patients with idiopathic scoliosis, scoliosis secondary to poliomyelitis and scoliosis secondary to abnormalities of the vertebral column. The patients with idiopathic scoliosis showed, in general, moderate reductions in vital capacity, while those with poliomyelitis and associated paralysis showed more marked decreases. Residual volume on the average was essentially unchanged in both groups. Compliance was only moderately but consistently reduced in both groups while flow-resistance was only slightly to moderately increased. In the group of patients with idiopathic scoliosis, effective respiratory muscle strength was normal for given lung volumes but inspiratory strength was subnormal. Serial studies show that after fusion, the patients tended to have a further decrease both in respiratory muscle function and in lung volumes. The frequently serious pulmonary dysfunction accompanying the scoliosis secondary to vertebral abnormalities is illustrated.