The Usefulness of Employing an Electronic Traction Table to Determine Flexibility in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to develop new equipment for the assessment of the flexibility of the spine with different forces. This new system should provide a different perspective to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) for the selection of fusion levels and surgical success.


METHODS
Eighteen patients suffering from AIS who were scheduled to undergo posterior instrumented spinal fusion in our clinic were recruited in this study. The Electronic Traction Table (ETT) that was designed in our clinic was used to evaluate the radiogical and clinical parameters of the spine.


RESULTS
The significant prescriptive angle of major Cobb angles between postoperative angles were longitudinal traction and lateral pushing Cobb angles. Longitudinal traction and lateral pushing angles were more correlated with correction ratios. There was a significant difference between longitudinal traction minor Cobb angle, longitudinal traction lateral pushing minor Cobb angle and postoperative minor Cobb angles.


CONCLUSIONS
The deformity is needed to balance both tractional and rotational forces and useful technique to evaluate curve flexibility before the operation. Electronic traction table is a new device for determining preoperative flexibility with longitudinal traction and lateral pushing radiographs. It can be useful for choosing selective fusion levels at the proximal and distal end of the vertebral column.
Social Security Institution, General Directorate of Universal Health Insurance, Ankara, Turkey.
Erman
E
Ceyhan
Onder Murat
OM
Delialioglu
Kenan
K
Bayrakci
Bulent
B
Daglar
Alper
A
Deveci
Ugur
U
Gunel
D000293:Adolescent; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods*; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion