Research on spine deformities does not go back more than 30 years; it begins in the mid- 1960's and has since then developed along two lines.

Ever since their start in 1965, the P.A. Zorab symposia have spurred orthopaedic surgeons and other scientists to look into different pathophysiological aspects of scoliosis and other spine deformities including epidemiologic, diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic issues.

However, it is the spinal instrumentation of P.R. Harrington presented in 1965 that has had the greatest implications for the surgical treatment of spinal deformities as well as of injuries and pathologic conditions of the spine. The spectacular results of spinal instrumentation, particularly with regard to severe scoliotic deformity, surpass the highest expectations we had only thirty years ago.

Several scoliosis Societies have been established over the years : The Scoliosis Research Society in the US in 1966, The European Spinal Deformities Society in 1986, The European Spine Society in 1989 and the Société International de Recherche et d'Etude sur le Rachis, ín1995. Numerous other national scoliosis societies have also been established.

Three well reputed Journals, Spine (since 1975), Journal of Spine Disorders (since 1988) and the European Spine Journal, (since 1992) cover the field of spinal afflictions. However these journals, as well as the societies, deal almost exclusively with issues related to surgery and, to a lesser extend, bracing, screening and other clinical problems. Papers concerning pathophysiological aspects of scoliosis are rare.

Despite this, however, - as surgery ,a priori, is an unbiological necessity- research on the etiology, the pathogenesis and the pathomechanisms of idiopathic scoliosis is today booming. Also the technological achievements in recent decades have also stimulated research into non-invassive methods for registration of the back shape and the 3-D deviation and the kinematics of the scoliotic spine. The Moire fringe topography and its modifications, stereophotogrametry, and optoelectronic analysis of the movements of the spine and related new methods of registration of different variables of the deformity have spurred an increasing interest for the etiology, pathogenesis and mechanisms involved in the evolution of the thoracospinal deformity in idiopathic scoliosis and other spine deformities.

Biannual Symposia on Surface Topography of the Scoliotic Spine have been held since 1980, beginning in Vermont, USA, and on 3-D Scoliotic Deformities when the first meeting was held in 1992 in Montreal, Canada. After much discussion and deliberation it was found appropriate to form a common forum for presentation of research into spinal deformities with a theoretical orientation.

In the combined biannual meeting of Surface Topography and 3-D Scoliotic Deformities, in Pescara 1994, it was decided to form a new society: The International Research Society of Spinal Deformities, with the objective “to provide a forum for presention and encouragement of research relating to spinal deformities and to disseminate the results of such research”. It is expected that better understanding of the cause or causes of these pathological entities and their pathogenesis and pathomechanism with time will provide us with new additional knowledge, a prerequisite for the development of effective methods for no surgical treatment of the early scoliosis and in the long term for prophylaxis.

In the Pescara Meeting it was also decided that the first meeting of the new society was to be held in Stockholm, jointly organized by the Departments of Orthopaedics of the Karolinska Institute, at Huddinge and at Karolinska Hospitals. The “Stockholm-96” Meeting of the Society took place at Huddinge University Hospital, on June 16 to 19 ,1996, under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Silvia.

In accordance with the spirit of the Society to merge different trends of research of spinal deformities into a common direction, the programme of the meeting was organized into separate sections comprising not only papers on surface back topography and 3-D spinal deformities but also on the etiology, pathogenesis and pathomechanism of idiopathic scoliosis, on the biomechanics and kinematics of the spine and on conservative and surgical tratment of spine deformities. Moreover, central issues were debated in five 1-hour-long Round Table Debates followed by discussions with participation of the audience.

Almost one hundred scientists from nineteen countries attended the meeting and reported the results of their research in altogether more than one hundred oral presentations and poster exhibitions.

The objectives of the Society to fuse together different trends of research on spine deformities was thus fulfilled.

Communication between the scientists is often hampered by the fact that presentations of distinctly different topics are held in biological, orthopaedic, mathematical, bioengenering and other “languages” not always comprehensible to all participants. Therefore, the meeting was preceeded by a half-day-long tutorial course, where terms and methods of research were defined and presented..

The great majority , but not all, lecturers have subsequently submitted manuscripts of their presentations. They are included in this volume, which can now be distributed to the participants of the meeting and to other members of the Society.

As chairman of the Stockholm-96 meeting I wish to express sincere thanks to: the members of the international programme committee; M.Asher, P.Dangerfield, B.Drerup, E. Hierholzer, M.Moreland, A.Merolli, I.A.F. Stokes, D. Uyttendaele and the members of the local programme commitee; R. Hedlund, H. Hirschfeld, U. Nilsonne (co-chairman), S. Ollmar, H. Saraste (co-chairman), T. Widhe, and U. Willers, the contribution of whom to organizing and carrying through the meeting has been invaluable. The assistance of Ms MarjaLena Kiljander and Mr Pär Westblad in the preparation and the lay-out of this publication is also gratefully ackowledged by the authors. Moreover, the sponsoring of the Meeting, during the initial period of uncertainty, by the Department of Orthopadics at Huddinge University Hospital, the King Oscar II and Queen Sofia Golden Wedding Anniversary Foundation and the Swedish Medical Association is herewith ackowledged with gratitude. Last but not least the magnificent reception at the Town Hall of Stockholm hosted by the Town Council of Stockholm is acknowledged with high appreciation.

Stockholm, February 1997

John A. Sevastik, MD, PhD