title: Comparison of the Combined Anterior-Posterior Approach versus Posterior-Only Approach in Scoliosis Treatment.
abstract: METHODS
  This is descriptive analytical study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims at comparing treatment results found between the two groups comprising of patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion using thoracic pedicle screws and the ones who underwent combined anterior-posterior method, respectively.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There was controversy about surgical techniques including anterior, posterior, or a combined anterior-posterior approaches are applied to treat non-congenital scoliosis with surgical indications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 50 patients suffering from thoracic non-congenital scoliosis with curves exceeding 70° were reviewed. In this study, 25 patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion using thoracic pedicle screws were compared with 25 patients who underwent combined anterior-posterior method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated through posterior-only and combined approaches were respectively hospitalized for 11.84±5.18 and 26.5±5.2 days (p=0.001). There was a significant difference between these two groups considering intensive care unit admission duration (p=0.001), correction in sagittal view of X-ray (p=0.01), and number of days the patients underwent traction (0.001). Finally, coronal view was corrected without any significant difference (p=0.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our findings, it is hypothesized that posterior-only method is associated with some significant advantages and is an advisable method in patients with severe scoliosis over than 70°.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shohada Educational Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein Hojjat
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Pourfeizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shohada Educational Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jafar Ganjpour
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shohada Educational Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabrizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Shohada Educational Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghanbar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borran
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shohada Educational Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alavi
keywords: Curved spine; Scoliosis; Spinal deformity