Regional lung function in kyphoscoliosist

Young patients with idiopathic kyphoscoliosis are often symptom-free and remain so until middle age, when those with severe deformity may become breathless on exertion and develop respiratory or, less often, cardiac failure. Kyphoscoliosis is, by definition, primarily a disorder of the spine, but the consequent rotation of the thorax and the distortion of the trunk may be severe, especially if much lateral curvature is present. The result is to diminish the intrathoracic volume and distort its contents (Chapman, Dill. and Graybiel, 1939). Patients with kyphoscoliosis who are short of breath usually have rapid, shallow breathing which expends most of the tidal volume in the dead space and leaves some alveoli underventilated. The work and energy cost of breathing is high in the older patients because of the abnormally high elastic resistance of the chest