Comparison of compensatory curve spontaneous derotation after selective thoracic or lumbar fusions in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
METHODS
Retrospective review of a multicenter prospectively collected series of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients.


OBJECTIVE
To compare uninstrumented compensatory curve spontaneous derotation of the rib hump and lumbar prominence after selective lumbar or thoracic fusions in AIS.


BACKGROUND
Coronal correction of the unfused minor curve after selective fusions in AIS has been well-documented previously. However, little has been reported regarding spontaneous correction in the axial plane of the unfused minor curve after selective AIS surgery.


METHODS
Patients with minimum 2-year follow-up after either a selective thoracic fusion (STF) (lowest instrumented vertebrae L2 or above), or a selective lumbar fusion (upper instrumented vertebrae T9 or below) for AIS, with an initial scoliometer value of >or=5 degrees in the minor curve were analyzed. Prospectively acquired preoperative and 2-year postoperative radiographic and scoliometer measurements of both the fused and unfused curves were compared using repeated measures and univariate analysis of variance. The data were checked for normality and equal variances, and the level of significance was set at P <or= 0.05.


RESULTS
In patients that underwent a STF (n = 83), the mean thoracic rib hump improved significantly from a preoperative value of 15 degrees +/- 5 degrees to 7 degrees +/- 4 degrees at the 2-year follow-up (P <or= 0.001). The mean lumbar prominence of the unfused curve also spontaneously improved significantly in this group of patients during the follow-up period from 9 degrees +/- 3 degrees to 4 degrees +/- 3 degrees (P <or= 0.001). In patients who underwent a selective lumbar fusion (n = 27), the mean lumbar prominence corrected significantly from a preoperative value of 11 degrees +/- 5 degrees , to a 2-year postoperative value of 3 degrees +/- 3 degrees (P <or= 0.001). The mean thoracic rib hump, however, only changed from 8 degrees +/- 3 degrees before surgery to 6 degrees +/- 3 degrees at the 2-year follow-up. This change was not found to be statistically significant (P = 0.14). The spontaneous lumbar prominence correction of 49% was significantly greater than the spontaneous thoracic rib hump correction of 26% (P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Axial plane rotational correction of the unfused minor curve in patients undergoing selective fusions does occur. Significant spontaneous correction of a thoracic rib hump after a selective lumbar fusion should not be anticipated, whereas an approximate 50% reduction in the lumbar prominence was the average after selective thoracic fusions.
Ritzman
Todd F
TF
Department of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH, USA.
Upasani
Vidyadhar V
VV
Bastrom
Tracey P
TP
Betz
Randal R
RR
Lonner
Baron S
BS
Newton
Peter O
PO
D000293:Adolescent; D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States