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A bony Chance fracture through L1 following posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a case report

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Abstract

Study design

Case report.

Introduction

Instrumented posterior fusion using pedicle screws has been the mainstay of the surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis since it was popularised by Roy-Camille in the 1970s. The aim of this case report is to describe the occurrence and salvage of an L1 chance fracture occurring through the lower instrumented vertebra following pedicle screw placement for posterior spinal instrumented fusion in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Case report

A 15-year-old female patient underwent T2–L1 posterior instrumented fusion for a Lenke 1b deformity. The selection of fusion levels was made based upon standing and bending radiographs which showed a non-structural lumbar curve. Early recovery was uneventful. At 6 months post-operatively, the patient reported new deformity and pain. A chance fracture at L1 was diagnosed and subsequent extension of instrumentation to L3 was carried out. Final post-operative recovery was uneventful and the patient returned to an active lifestyle.

Conclusion

Several factors can contribute to the occurrence of a fracture through an instrumented pedicle. This case shows that there must be due consideration of the small pedicle at L1 when it is chosen as the LIV.

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Funding

No funding was received from any source for this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Brett Rocos & David Lebel

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Spinal Surgery, University of Tokyo Hospital, 7 Chome-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo, Japan

    So Kato

  3. Division of Orthopaedics, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Stephen Lewis

Authors
  1. Brett Rocos
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  2. So Kato
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  3. David Lebel
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  4. Stephen Lewis
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Contributions

BR: acquisition and analysis of data, drafted the manuscript, and approved the manuscript. SK: acquisition of data, critically revised the manuscript, and approved the manuscript. DL: critically revised the manuscript, and approved the manuscript. SL: conceived study, critically revised the manuscript, and approved the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brett Rocos.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

BR: none, SK: none, DL: none, and SL: none.

Ethical approval (IRB)

No copyrighted material was included in this study. Patient’s identity has not been revealed. Being a single-case study, it is exempt from institutional review board approval.

Informed consent

All identifiable details have been removed from the report. Informed consent is, therefore, not required.

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Rocos, B., Kato, S., Lebel, D. et al. A bony Chance fracture through L1 following posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a case report. Spine Deform 9, 859–862 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00257-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00257-4

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