The daily force pattern of spinal orthoses in subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

The efficacy of orthotic treatment for children with abnormal spinal curvature has been hampered by the lack of comprehensive information about wear characteristics. A battery-powered microcomputer system was developed to monitor loads exerted by orthoses used to treat children with spinal deformities during daily living. The system not only records how well the orthosis has been used, but also helps to ensure that the orthosis is being worn as prescribed. Data acquisition is controlled by a microcontroller and can be programmed to have sample intervals ranging from 1 second to 1 hour. Low power control circuitry is designed so that the system can be operated by a battery. In a preliminary study, 16 subjects (3M, 13F) used this system from 1 to 16 days (9.3 +/- 5.0) with the prescribed hours between 16 to 23 hours (22.3 +/- 1.3). This study demonstrated the feasibility of the approach, and that this device may increase the understanding of orthotic mechanics, and may help patients to wear their orthoses in a better way.     

Effectiveness and biomechanics of spinal orthoses in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS)

In this prospective study, the effectiveness and biomechanical factors of spinal orthoses in the treatment of moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients were investigated. In the first 20 months of orthotic treatment, the values of standing AP Cobb's angle, apical vertebral rotation, lumbar lordosis as well as thoracic kyphosis showed significant reduction (P<0.05), however, the angle of trunk inclination and trunk listing did not. The values of those reducible parameters reached their lowest values within the first 12 months of orthotic treatment and then the values gradually increased but they were still below the pre-brace values. The mean pressure of The pressure pads was found to be 7.09 +/- 1.77 kPa (53.2 +/- 13.3 mmHg) while the mean tension of the straps was 26.8 +/- 5.2N. The standing AP Cobb's angle strongly correlated with the pad pressure (correlation coefficient=0.931, p<(.05) and strap tension (correlation coefficient=0.914, p<0.05). The strap tension and pad pressure strongly correlated and the correlation coefficient was 0.873 (p<0.05). This suggests that in the consideration of biomechanical function of spinal orthoses, the focus may be upon how tightly the orthosis was fastened and if the location and direction of the pressure pads are the correct. Therefore, for enhancing independent standard tension should be set in each strap, and regular and close monitoring is needed.     

Brace-wear compliance in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Thirty-eight full-time and 38 part-time unselected brace wearers treated during a 7-year period were interviewed in a retrospective study to determine actual brace-wear compliance. Actual compliance was found to be lower than reported by patients during clinic visits and was much lower than reported in previous series. Only 15% of patients were highly compliant. On average, patients wore their braces 65% of the time they were instructed to do so. The reasons for low compliance in brace wear are unclear.     

The timing of spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

102 cases of idiopathic adolescent scoliosis seen over a period of 5 years were studied. 59 patients who were treated surgically and followed up for a minimum of 48 months, fell into one of two groups: Group I - those operated on within 3 years following the adolescent growth spurt, and Group II - those who were operated on at or after skeletal maturity. 35 patients were treated by Harrington instrumentation and posterior fusion and 24 by Harrington instrumentation, segmental sublaminar wiring and posterior fusion. In 7 patients anterior release was performed initially. In Group I, the extent of deformity correction and elimination of the rib hump were better, and complications such as neurological deficit, hook dislodgement and implant breakage were encountered less frequently. Harrington instrumentation, segmental sublaminar wiring and posterior fusion gave better results than instrumentation and fusion. Our results suggest that surgical correction should be done within 3 years following growth spurt, i.e. 14 to 16 years of age.     

Conservative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis with physical therapy and orthoses

Opinions differ in the international literature about the efficacy of conservative approaches to scoliosis treatment.Because this divergence of opinion corresponds to a great discrepancy in the standards applied to conservative treatment methods, it is not astonishing that the results of conservative treatment as described in the literature also differ. Scoliosis normally does not have such dramatic effects that immediate surgery would be indicated.Moreover, it is clear from the published literature that it is the functional and physiological impairments of scoliosis patients--including pain, torso deformity, psychological disturbance, and pulmonary dysfunction--which require therapeutic intervention. In Germany the triad of outpatient physiotherapy, intensive inpatient rehabilitation, and bracing has proven effective in conservative scoliosis treatment.Indication, content, and results of the individual treatment procedures are described and discussed. The positive outcomes of this practice validate a policy of offering conservative scoliosis treatment as an alternative to patients, including those for whom surgery is indicated.     

脊柱侧凸伴脊髓内异常治疗进展

随着影像学技术的提高和手术的开展,伴发Chiari畸形、脊髓空洞、脊髓纵裂等脊髓内结构异常的脊柱侧凸病例并非罕见.脊髓内结构异常均属严重脊髓病变,有时可引起严重神经并发症,若无明显的神经损害临床症状往往意味着对这些病变不需处理,但对脊柱侧凸的矫形构成威胁.若不先处理脊髓神经病变而首先矫正脊柱侧凸,可能加重神经损害,因而给外科干预带来更大的困难和危险.这类病人的诊断、鉴别诊断和治疗有一定的特殊性.该文就脊柱侧凸伴Chiari畸形、脊髓空洞、脊髓纵裂等脊髓内结构异常与脊柱侧凸的相关性、影像学特点及治疗现状作一综述.     

青少年特发性脊柱侧凸的手术治疗

特发性脊柱侧凸是青少年常见的畸形之一,严重危害其身心健康.几十年来,特发性脊柱侧凸的手术技术已经从单一平面和单一节段的矫正发展到多平面和多节段的矫正,矫正效果也有明显提高.本文从手术人路及手术方法人手,综述了青少年特发性脊柱侧凸手术治疗的发展历程及目前应用较广泛的手术方式.     

Variability of spinal instrumentation configurations in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Surgical instrumentation for the correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex procedure involving many difficult decisions (i.e. spinal segment to instrument, type/location/number of hooks or screws, rod diameter/length/shape, implant attachment order, amount of rod rotation, etc.). Recent advances in instrumentation technology have brought a large increase in the number of options. Despite numerous clinical publications, there is still no consensus on the optimal surgical plan for each curve type. The objective of this study was to document and analyse instrumentation configuration and strategy variability. Five females (12-19 years) with AIS and an indication for posterior surgical instrumentation and fusion were selected. Curve patterns were as follows: two right thoracic (Cobb: 34 degrees, 52 degrees), two right thoracic and left lumbar (Cobb T/L: 57 degrees/45 degrees, 72 degrees/70 degrees) and 1 left thoraco-lumbar (Cobb: 64 degrees). The pre-operative standing postero-anterior and lateral radiographs, supine side bending radiographs, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the spine, pertinent 3D measurements as well as clinical information such as age and gender of each patient were submitted to six experienced independent spinal deformity surgeons, who were asked to provide their preferred surgical planning using a posterior spinal approach. The following data were recorded using the graphical user interface of a spine surgery simulator (6x5 cases): implant types, vertebral level, position and 3D orientation of implants, anterior release levels, rod diameter and shape, attachment sequence, rod rotation (angle, direction), adjustments (screw rotation, contraction/distraction), etc. Overall, the number of implants used ranged from 11 to 26 per patient (average 16; SD +/-4). Of these, 45% were mono-axial screws, 31% multi-axial screws and 24% hooks. At one extremity of the spectrum, one surgeon used only mono-axial screws, while at the other, another surgeon used 81% hooks. The selected superior- and inferior-instrumented vertebrae varied up to six and five levels, respectively (STD 1.2 and 1.5). A top-to-bottom attachment sequence was selected in 61% of the cases, a bottom-up in 29% and an alternate order in 11%. The rod rotation maneuver of the first rod varied from 0 degrees (no rotation) to 140 degrees, with a median at 90 degrees. In conclusion, a large variability of instrumentation strategy in AIS was documented within a small experienced group of spinal deformity surgeons. The exact cause of this large variability is unclear but warrants further investigation with multicenter outcome studies as well as experimental and computer simulation studies. We hypothesize that this variability may be attributed to different objectives for correction, to surgeon's personal preferences based on their previous experience, to the known inter-observer variability of current classification systems and to the current lack of clearly defined strategies or rational rules based on the validated biomechanical studies with modern multi-segmental instrumentation systems.     

Advances in scoliosis brace treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Orthotic treatment with a brace remains the treatment of choice for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the immature patient with documented progression or a curve magnitude of 25 degrees to 40 degrees . Studies of natural history and bracing consistently show high rates of curve progression and surgery with observation and significantly less so with brace treatment. Brace treatment is difficult in overweight patients and challenging in males. Many of the variations in brace study results may be attributable to differing rates of compliance with brace wear, a parameter that is becoming easier to measure.     

Thoracoscopic spinal fusion compared with posterior spinal fusion for the treatment of thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

BACKGROUND: Posterior spinal fusion with segmental instrumentation is the gold standard for the surgical treatment of thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. More recently, anterior surgery and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with spinal instrumentation have become available. The purpose of the present study was to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes as well as pulmonary function in patients managed with either anterior thoracoscopic or posterior surgery. METHODS: Radiographic data, Scoliosis Research Society patient-based outcome questionnaires, pulmonary function, and operative records were reviewed for fifty-one patients undergoing surgical treatment of scoliosis. Data were collected preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at the time of the final follow-up. The radiographic parameters that were analyzed included coronal curve correction, the most caudad instrumented vertebra tilt angle correction, coronal balance, and thoracic kyphosis. The operative parameters that were evaluated included the operative time, the estimated blood loss, the blood transfusion rate, the number of levels fused, the type of bone graft used, and the number of intraoperative and postoperative complications. The pulmonary function parameters that were analyzed included vital capacity and peak flow. RESULTS: The thoracoscopic group included twenty-eight patients with a mean age of 14.6 years, and the posterior fusion group included twenty-three patients with a mean age of 14.3 years. The percent correction was 54.5% for the thoracoscopic group and 55.3% for the posterior group. With the numbers available, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of kyphosis (p = 0.84), coronal balance (p = 0.70), or tilt angle (p = 0.91) at the time of the final follow-up. The mean number of levels fused was 5.8 in the thoracoscopic group, compared with 9.3 levels in the posterior group (p < 0.0001). The estimated blood loss in the thoracoscopic group was significantly less than that in the posterior fusion group (361 mL compared with 545 mL; p = 0.03), and the transfusion rate in the thoracoscopic group was significantly lower than that in the posterior fusion group (14% compared with 43%; p = 0.01). Operative time in the thoracoscopic group was significantly greater than that in the posterior group (6.0 compared with 3.3 hours, p < 0.0001). There were no intraoperative complications in either group. Vital capacity and peak flow had returned to baseline levels in both groups at the time of the final follow-up. Patients in the thoracoscopic group scored higher than those in the posterior group in terms of the total score (p < 0.0001) and all of the domains (p < 0.01) of the Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire at the time of the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracoscopic spinal instrumentation compares favorably with posterior fusion in terms of coronal plane curve correction and balance, sagittal contour, the rate of complications, pulmonary function, and patient-based outcomes. The advantages of the procedure include the need for fewer levels of spinal fusion, less operative blood loss, lower transfusion requirements, and improved cosmesis as a result of small, well-hidden incisions. However, the operative time for the thoracoscopic procedure was nearly twice that for the posterior approach. Additional study is needed to determine the precise role of thoracoscopic spinal instrumentation in the treatment of thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.     

Posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Three hundred and nineteen patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were treated by posterior spinal fusion over an eight year period. The changes in preoperative correction and surgical techniques are reviewed. The anaesthetic technique using induced hypotension and the postoperative routine are described. The amount of deformity and its correction at operation and postoperatively is discussed by reference to Cobb angles. The early and late complications are reviewed.     

Objective compliance of adolescent girls with idiopathic scoliosis in a dynamic SpineCor brace

Purpose  

Dynamic SpineCor was designed to overcome the disadvantages of rigid orthoses—bulkiness, physical constraint and warming—and to improve the acceptance and compliance as limiting factors of brace treatment. Those theoretical benefits have not been proved by compliance studies yet.     

前路松解术在重度青少年特发性脊柱侧凸治疗中的价值

目的探讨前路松解在重度青少年特发性脊柱侧凸治疗中的作用. 方法回顾性分析1998年1月至2001年12月间26例重度脊柱侧凸的手术治疗结果,其中男7例,女19例;年龄平均15岁(10～21岁).24例可根据King对特发性脊柱侧凸的分型,其中King Ⅰ 4例,King Ⅱ 9例,King Ⅲ 5例,King Ⅳ 4例,King Ⅴ 2例;另2例为胸腰段侧凸.术前站立位主侧凸平均89.8°,重力悬吊牵引位平均66.5°,反向弯曲位平均67.7°,支点反向弯曲平均为61.2°,胸椎后凸平均43.5°.术前顶椎偏离骶正中线的距离为39.7 mm.前路松解后一期行后路手术6例,2周后二期行后路手术治疗20例. 结果 20例二期后路手术者,前路松解术后脊柱活动度与术前悬吊位X线片比较,平均增加了17.8°.术后主侧凸冠状面Cobb角平均52.6°,胸椎后凸28.4°.冠状面平均矫正38.2°,矫正率平均43.1%,术后顶椎偏离骶正中线的距离为9.9 mm.随访时间平均2.3年(6个月～4年),随访时主侧凸平均Cobb角54.9°,矫正丢失6.4%,无断棍、植骨不融合及假关节的病例. 结论重度侧凸术前侧凸的柔韧性<20%的患者,单纯前路松解对增加脊柱的活动度意义不大,术后畸形的矫正效果不佳,应考虑前路的截骨来增加脊柱的柔韧性以使侧弯得到最大限度的矫正.     

青少年特发性脊柱侧凸治疗研究新进展

青少年特发性脊柱侧凸（AIS）是最常见的脊柱畸形之一,严重危害青少年健康。过去数十年来对AIS分型或治疗的认识取得了长足的进步,治疗方法更趋合理,但在治疗策略上依然存有争议和分歧,尤其是对某些特殊类型的AIS。该文就AIS治疗的新近进展作一简要综述。     

表面肌电图在中医脊柱平衡法治疗青少年特发性脊柱侧凸症中的应用

目的：评价表面肌电图（sEMG）检测在非手术治疗青少年特发性脊柱侧凸症（AIS）中的应用价值。方法：对2011年10月至2012年5月采用中医脊枉平衡法治疗的33例青少年特发性脊柱侧凸症患者临床资料进行总结分析。其中男14例,女19例,年龄（15．40±3．01）岁,Cobb角13°-40°,病程均在3个月以上。X线检查：“C”形侧弯21例,“S”形侧弯9例。观察指标为治疗前、治疗后6个月的Cobb角、平均肌电值（AEMG）比值和治疗的安全性。结果：30例患者完成全部的治疗和检测,完成率为90．9％（30／33）。整个临床治疗和检测过程中,未发现对生命体征产生不良影响,无骨折、脱位、晕厥、针口感染及病情加重情况发生。AEMG比值与Cobb角呈正相关（P=0．003）。有效治疗后,患者AEMG比值减小（P〈0．01）,表明肌力的差异性改善。结论：侧凸椎旁肌sEMG检测可以作为评定AIS凸凹侧肌电活动差异的客观检查之一,通过动态检测,可以作为疗效评价和进展风险评估的客观指标,初步表现出较好的,临床应用价值。     

Pancreatitis after posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

A case report describes an adolescent with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent a posterior spinal fusion and developed pancreatitis postoperatively. The patient recovered with parenteral nutrition support. We report this case to add to the literature that supports a benign disease course for postoperative pancreatitis in patients who have had posterior spinal fusion.     

The etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

The etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), the most common form of scoliosis, is unclear. Researchers with divergent perspectives have tried to better define this etiology. Genetics, growth hormone secretion, connective tissue structure, muscle structure, vestibular dysfunction, melatonin secretion, and platelet microstructure are major areas of focus. In this article, we review the literature in these areas and present the consensus on proposed hypotheses. Studies that simplify the etiology to a single factor have been inconclusive or unsuccessful. Most likely, the etiology is multifactorial, and reported associations are links in pathogenesis rather than etiologic factors. Research is needed to better define the role of all factors in AIS development.