title: Surgical treatment of idiopathic thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis in adolescent patients.
abstract: The surgical management of idiopathic thoracolumbar and lumbar scoliosis is complex because of the surgeon's desire to achieve curve correction while maintaining normal lumbar lordosis with as many distal mobile lumbar segments as possible. By doing so, the surgeon is able to maintain normal sagittal alignment and decrease the chance of degenerative lumbar spine disease below the scoliosis fusion. This article discusses the surgical treatment of the thoracolumbar and lumbar curve, and, it is hoped, provides a better understanding of this complex problem.
authors.affiliation: Kenton D. Leatherman Spine Center, University of Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Puno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Byrd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery