Abstract
Purpose
Spinal fusion is the standard treatment for severe forms of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, with the lowest instrumented vertebra that is usually located at L3 or L4, patients are prone to develop adjacent segment degeneration in the long term. Vertebral body tethering (VBT) as motion preserving technique has become an alternative for select patients with AIS. Several studies have presented the outcome after thoracic VBT but no study has analyzed the outcome after VBT for Lenke type 6 curves.
Methods
This is a retrospective single center data analysis of patients who have had bilateral VBT for Lenke type 6 curves and a minimum follow up of 24Â months. Radiographic analysis was performed on several time points. Suspected tether breakages were additionally analyzed with respect to location and time at occurrence.
Results
25 patients were included. Immediate thoracic curve correction was 55.4% and 71.7% for TL/L curves. Loss of correction was higher for TL/L curves and resulted in a correction rate of 48.3% for thoracic curves and 48.9% for TL/L curves at 24Â months post-operatively. 22 patients were suspected to have at least one segment with a tether breakage. Three patients required a re-VBT but no patient received posterior spinal fusion.
Conclusion
Bilateral VBT for Lenke type 6 curves is feasible and shows a significant curve correction for thoracic and TL/L curves at a minimum of 24Â months post-operatively. Tether breakage rate and loss of correction remain an unfavorable observation that needs to be improved in the future.
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Data is available.
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PT: Lead investigator, Study design, Data analysis Draft of manuscript, Manuscript revision Final approval (includes revision) All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. HK: Data analysis, Draft of Manuscript Manuscript revision, Final approval (includes revision) All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. SDP: Data acquisition, Data analysis, Manuscript revision, Final approval, (includes revision) All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. DC: Data analysis, Draft of Manuscript Manuscript revision, Final approval (includes revision) All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
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PDT: Globus Medical (Consultant, Paid Lectures), Stryker Spine (Consultant), Triaspine (Paid Lectures), Spineguard (Paid Lectures), Zimvie (Paid Lectures) SDP: Globus Medical (Paid Lectures) HJK, DGC: nothing to disclose.
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Trobisch, P.D., Kim, H.J., Da Paz, S. et al. The efficacy of anterior vertebral body tethering in lenke type 6 curves for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Eur Spine J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-024-08300-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-024-08300-y