The radiological imaging of the vertebral body and intervertebral discs wedging in idiopathic, right-side, thoracic scoliosis as a prognostic factor of the angular progression of spine curve.
Background. On the superior-posterior radiograms in patients with scoliosis there is reduction of vertebral body height and intervertebral discs on concave curve side. The aim of the study. The assesment of vertebral body and intervertebral discs wedging in patients with progresive and non-progresive scoliosis, treated using braces. Material and methods. On the basis of superior-posterior radiograms in healthy patients without spine curve and radiograms of skeletal spine preparations the physiological, standard vertebral body height factor and intervertebral discs height factor were determined. The physiological values of vertebral body factor reached 1 (+/-0,003) and intervertebral discs factor reached 0,99 (+/-0,01). The next step in this investigation was analysis of radiograms obtained from two different experimental groups of patients that suffered from idiopathic, right-side, thoracic scoliosis. The first group consisted of 30 patients non-surgically treaded with kinesytherapy and orthopaedic braces. These patients were classified as a group that required non-operative treatment. To the second group belonged 30 patients that required operative treatment although careful non-surgical treatment performed using orthopaedic braces for spine correction. The analysis of superior-posterior radiograms was performed before, during and after treatment, when young patients reached skeletal maturity. The height of vertebral body on concave and convex spine curve sides was measured to determine vertebral body wedging factor in the apex of spine curve. Results. The vertebral body wedging factors calculated after analysis of radiograms obtained from the first experimental group (patients without angular progression) were not statistically significant different. The differences of vertebral body wedging factors in the apex of spine curve obtained in the second group were statistically significant. The increase in vertebral body wedging factor in the second experimental group was stated together with progression of spine curve, what proves intensifying spine scoliosis.
Majcher
Piotr
P
Katedra i Klinika Ortopedii, Traumatologii i Rehabilitacji, Akademia Medyczna, Lublin.
Fatyga
Marek
M
Krupski
Witold
W
Tatara
Marcin
M