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Cervical spine sagittal alignment variations following posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to quantify the changes in the sagittal alignment of the cervical spine in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis following posterior spinal fusion. Patients eligible for study inclusion included those with a diagnosis of mainly thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated by means of posterior multisegmented hook and screw instrumentation. Pre and post-operative anterior–posterior and lateral radiographs of the entire spine were reviewed to assess the changes of cervical sagittal alignment. Thirty-two patients (3 boys, 29 girls) met the inclusion criteria for the study. The average pre-operative cervical sagittal alignment (CSA) was 4.0° ± 12.3° (range −30° to 40°) of lordosis. Postoperatively, the average CSA was 1.7° ± 11.4° (range −24° to 30°). After surgery, it was less than 20° in 27 patients (84.4%) and between 20° and 40° in 5 patients (15.6%). The results of the present study suggest that even if rod precontouring is performed and postoperative thoracic sagittal alignment is restored, improved or remains unchanged after significant correction of the deformity on the frontal plane, the inherent rigidity of the cervical spine limits changes in the CSA as the cervical spine becomes rigid over time.

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Acknowledgments

None of the authors received financial support for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Orthopaedic Service, Department of Child and Adolescent, University of Geneva Hospitals, 6, Rue Willy Donzé, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland

    Federico Canavese, Vincenzo De Rosa, Geraldo de Coulon & André Kaelin

  2. Laboratoire de Cinésiologie Willy Taillard, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, 4, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland

    Katia Turcot

Authors
  1. Federico Canavese
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  2. Katia Turcot
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  3. Vincenzo De Rosa
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  4. Geraldo de Coulon
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  5. André Kaelin
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Correspondence to Federico Canavese.

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Canavese, F., Turcot, K., De Rosa, V. et al. Cervical spine sagittal alignment variations following posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Eur Spine J 20, 1141–1148 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1837-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1837-z

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