The details of thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia state in patients with idiopathic scoliosis of III–IV degree

Abstract

The details of thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia state were studied in 41 adolescent patients with grade III–IV idiopathic scoliosis. Thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia was evaluated in Th₁–S₁ dermatomes on the right and on the left using an electric esthesiometer.

It was found that thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia disorders of different severity degree, which manifested themselves as hypesthesia, hyperesthesia, and absence of thermoesthesia, were observed in all patients. The thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia disorders were not of local character and extended beyond the level of the spinal deformity.

Maximum negative changes in thermoesthesia-and-algesthesia were detected in the dermatomes corresponding to the apex of thoracic spinal deformity (Th₈, Th₉, and Th₁₀). At these changes, the normal algesthesia thresholds were retained in the least number of patients, and the number of patients with negative changes in these dermatomes, who had normal thermoesthesia thresholds, was also small. This distribution of changes should be taken into account when planning the treatment and rehabilitation of adolescents with grade III–IV idiopathic scoliosis.