Of 206 patients less than twenty years old with idiopathic scoliosis of
40 to 90 degrees treated with Harrington distraction rods and fusion,
ninety had preoperative Cotrel traction and 116 received no immediate
preoperative treatment. There was no significant difference between these
two groups in terms of the immediate surgical correction obtained. Cotrel
traction therefore did not improve the results of treatment of idiopathic
scoliosis of this degree in this age group.