Surgical correction of lumbar scoliosis: a comparison of different techniques. Results

Summary Vertebral rotation is at the basis of structural scoliosis. Its measurement gives the possibility to evaluate the surgical correction. Three groups of five lumbar scolioses (means angle 45°) were treated with rotation of the convex rod (group 1), bending in situ (group 2) and bending associated with rotation of the convex screws (group 3). Cobb angle improvement was the same with the three techniques. The Vertebral Rotational Angle (VRA) and the most suitable Intervertebral Rotational Angle (IRA) were used for this study. IRA (difference of rotation between two consecutive vertebrae) stays the same whatever the reference axis and VRA depends on conditions of measurement. IRA is improved of 15% in group 1, 35% in group 2 and 54% in group 3.In situ bending associated with the rotation of the convex screws is a good method for correcting the torsion of the scoliotic lumbar spine.