title: Clinical outcomes of extreme lateral interbody fusion in the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) and other lateral access surgery is rapidly increasing in popularity. However, limited data is available regarding its use in scoliosis surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of adults with degenerative lumbar scoliosis treated with XLIF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty consecutive patients with adult degenerative scoliosis treated by a single surgeon at a major academic institution were followed for an average of 14.3 months. Interbody fusion was completed using the XLIF technique with supplemental posterior instrumentation. Validated clinical outcome scores were obtained on patients preoperatively and at most recent follow-up. Complications were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group demonstrated improvement in multiple clinical outcome scores. Oswestry Disability Index scores improved from 24.8 to 19.0 (P < 0.001). Short Form-12 scores improved, although the change was not significant. Visual analog scores for back pain decreased from 6.8 to 4.6 (P < 0.001) while scores for leg pain decreased from 5.4 to 2.8 (P < 0.001). A total of six minor complications (20%) were recorded, and two patients (6.7%) required additional surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the significant improvement in validated clinical outcome scores, XLIF is effective in the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. adam.caputo@duke.edu
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Keith W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Gene M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Cameron R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Howes
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Isaacs
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome