UNASSIGNED: To investigate the incidence, risk factors, and clinical impact of persistent coronal imbalance (PCI) in Lenke5C adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF).
UNASSIGNED: We analyzed the medical records of 112 Lenke5C AIS patients. They were grouped into PCI (+) group and PCI (-) group according to the occurrence of PCI at 2 years after surgery. Coronal and sagittal parameters were measured and compared between both groups preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 2 years postoperatively. Scoliosis Research Society⁃22 (SRS⁃22) score was used to evaluate clinical outcomes.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 112 patients, 12 had coronal imbalance persisting 2 years after surgery. Logistic regression analysis indicated risk factors including older age [odds ratio(OR)= 1.841, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.147-2.132, P = 0.001], lower preoperative flexibility main thoracic (MT) curve (OR = 1.308,95% CI: 1.041-2.015, P = 0.016), greater preoperative apical vertebral translation (AVT) of the thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curve (AVT-TL/L) (OR= 2.291, 95%CI: 1.120-4.719, P = 0.001), larger preoperative lowest instrumented vertebra tilt (LIV lilt) (OR = 2.141, 95% CI: 1.491-3.651, P = 0.011), postoperative immediate coronal imbalance (OR = 5.512, 95% CI: 4.531-6.891, P = 0.001). The satisfaction and total score of SRS-22 scale in PCI (+) group were lower than those in PCI (-) group at 2 years after surgery (P < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: We found a 10.7% incidence of PCI in patients with Lenke5C AIS undergoing PSF. PCI adversely affects clinical outcomes. Risk factors of PCI included older age, reduced preoperative MT curve flexibility, increased preoperative AVT in the TL/L curve, greater preoperative LIV tilt, and immediate postoperative coronal imbalance.

BACKGROUND: Posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for the correction of idiopathic scoliosis is associated with severe postoperative pain. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been proposed to provide analgesia and reduce opioid consumption. We aimed to investigate the effect of bilateral ultrasound-guided single-shot ESPB on postoperative analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing PSF.
METHODS: This double-blinded, randomized controlled trial will enroll 74 AIS patients undergoing elective PSF. Participants will be assigned to the ESPB group or control group at a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the ESPB group will receive ultrasound-guided bilateral ESPB preoperatively, and patients in the control group received sham ESPB using normal saline. The primary joint endpoints are the area under the curve (AUC) of numerical rating scale (NRS) score and opioid consumption in postoperative 24 h. The secondary endpoints are numerical rating scale (NRS) score and opioid consumption at postoperative 0.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h, rescue analgesia, recovery outcomes, and adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: At present, studies investigating the effect of ESPB on pediatric patients are still needed. This study focuses on the effect of ESPB on pediatric patients undergoing PSF on postoperative pain control and intends to provide a new strategy of multimodal analgesia management for major spine surgery.
BACKGROUND: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300074505. Registered on August 8, 2023.

BACKGROUND: As the first gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), nusinersen is supposed to be administrated via intrathecal injection regularly for a lifetime. However, for SMA patients with severe spinal deformities, bony fusion following posterior spinal instrumentation sets great obstacles for the application of nusinersen. Therefore, efforts have been devoted to the exploration of appropriate approach for nusinersen administration. This study aims to evaluate the safety and reliability of unilateral interlaminar fenestration on the convex side during spinal fusion surgery for intrathecal nusinersen injection in SMA.
RESULTS: SMA patients receiving posterior spinal fusion and interlaminar fenestration in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2020 to October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. 13 patients were included. Of the 13 patients, 10 were classified into SMA type II and 3 into SMA type III. Distal fusion to pelvis was undertaken in 11 patients; while L5 was selected as the lowest instrumented vertebra in the other 2 patients. All patients received interlaminar fenestration on the convex side only with an area of about 15 mm × 20 mm. Fenestration at L2-L3 level was performed in 6 patients; while L3-L4 level was selected for windowing in the remaining 7 patients. 9 of the 13 patients received lumbar puncture and intrathecal nusinersen administration during the 1-year follow-up, with an accumulative total of 50 times. All injections were performed successfully under ultrasound guidance, with no one transferred to radiographic assistance. No severe complications occurred after injection.
CONCLUSIONS: In SMA with severe scoliosis planning to receive posterior spinal fusion, unilateral lumbar interlaminar fenestration on the convex side provides a feasible and reliable access for intrathecal nusinersen administration after surgery.

Respiratory variation in the internal jugular vein (IJVV) has not shown promising results in predicting volume responsiveness in ventilated patients with low tidal volume (Vt) in prone position. We aimed to determine whether the baseline respiratory variation in the IJVV value measured by ultrasound might predict fluid responsiveness in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with low Vt.
According to the fluid responsiveness results, the included patients were divided into two groups: those who responded to volume expansion, denoted the responder group, and those who did not respond, denoted the non-responder group. The primary outcome was determination of the value of baseline IJVV in predicting fluid responsiveness (≥15% increases in stroke volume index (SVI) after 7 ml·kg-1 colloid administration) in patients with AIS undergoing PSF during low Vt ventilation. Secondary outcomes were estimation of the diagnostic performance of pulse pressure variation (PPV), stroke volume variation (SVV), and the combination of IJVV and PPV in predicting fluid responsiveness in this surgical setting. The ability of each parameter to predict fluid responsiveness was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve.
Fifty-six patients were included, 36 (64.29%) of whom were deemed fluid responsive. No significant difference in baseline IJVV was found between responders and non-responders (25.89% vs. 23.66%, p = 0.73), and no correlation was detected between baseline IJVV and the increase in SVI after volume expansion (r = 0.14, p = 0.40). A baseline IJVV greater than 32.00%, SVV greater than 14.30%, PPV greater than 11.00%, and a combination of IJVV and PPV greater than 64.00% had utility in identifying fluid responsiveness, with a sensitivity of 33.33%, 77.78%, 55.56%, and 55.56%, respectively, and a specificity of 80.00%, 50.00%, 65.00%, and 65.00%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the baseline values of IJVV, SVV, PPV, and the combination of IJVV and PPV was 0.52 (95% CI, 0.38-0.65, p=0.83), 0.54 (95% CI, 0.40-0.67, p=0.67), 0.58 (95% CI, 0.45-0.71, p=0.31), and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.43-0.71, p=0.37), respectively.
Ultrasonic-derived IJVV lacked accuracy in predicting fluid responsiveness in patients with AIS undergoing PSF during low Vt ventilation. In addition, the baseline values of PPV, SVV, and the combination of IJVV and PPV did not predict fluid responsiveness in this surgical setting.
This trial was registered at www.chictr.org (ChiCTR2200064947) on 24/10/2022. All data were collected through chart review.

Anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) was introduced as a fusionless alternative to treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) while preserving range of motion (ROM). This is the first systematic review to compare the ROM outcomes between AVBT and PSF in treating AIS.
We conducted a comprehensive search on PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were patients with AIS treated with AVBT or PSF or both, and clearly defined ROM outcomes; exclusion criteria were scoliosis other than AIS, biomechanical or cadaveric studies, non-English publications, case reports, conference summaries, unpublished literature, commentaries, and reviews. Primary outcome was ROM. Secondary outcomes included Cobb angle correction, quality of life (QOL), complications, and muscle strength and endurance.
Twelve studies were included in this review. We found moderate evidence to support that AVBT results in superior ROM outcomes than PSF while achieving comparable Cobb angle correction with low evidence. The comparison of QOL outcomes between AVBT and PSF remained inconclusive. In addition to the complications noted conventionally in PSF, AVBT could result in over-correction and distal adding-on. We also found very low evidence to support that AIS patients treated with AVBT have superior muscle strength and endurance when compared to those treated with PSF.
AVBT provides better preservation of ROM and muscle strength postoperatively when compared with PSF, while achieving comparable curve correction. Future studies should explore the spinal growth trajectory to determine the window of opportunity for AVBT in AIS.

Restoration of three-dimensional (3D) alignment is critical in correcting patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using posterior spinal fusion (PSF). However, current studies mostly rely on 2D radiographs, resulting in inaccurate assessment of surgical correction and underlying predictive factors. While 3D reconstruction of biplanar radiographs is a reliable and accurate tool for quantifying spinal deformity, no study has reviewed the current literature on its use in evaluating surgical prognosis.
To summarize the current evidence on patient and surgical factors affecting sagittal alignment and curve correction after PSF based on 3D parameters derived from reconstruction of biplanar radiographs.
A comprehensive search was conducted by three independent investigators on Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to obtain all published information on predictors of postoperative alignment and correction after PSF. Search items included \"adolescent idiopathic scoliosis,\" \"stereoradiography,\" \"three-dimensional,\" \"surgical,\" and \"correction.\" The inclusion and exclusion criteria were carefully defined to include clinical studies. Risk of bias was assessed with the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool, and level of evidence for each predictor was rated with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach. 989 publications were identified, with 444 unique articles subjected to full-text screening. Ultimately, 41 articles were included.
Strong predictors of better curve correction included preoperative normokyphosis (TK > 15°), a corresponding rod contour, intraoperative vertebral rotation and translation, and upper and lower instrumented vertebrae selected based on sagittal and axial inflection points. For example, for Lenke 1 patients with junctional vertebrae above L1, fusion to NV-1 (1 level above the neutral vertebra) achieved optimal curve correction while preserving motion segments. Pre-op coronal Cobb angle and axial rotation, distal junctional kyphosis, pelvic incidence, sacral slope, and type of instrument were identified as predictors with moderate evidence. For Lenke 1C patients, > 50% LIV rotation was found to increase spontaneous lumbar curve correction. Pre-op thoracolumbar apical translation and lumbar lordosis, Ponte osteotomies, and rod material were found to be predictors with low evidence.
Rod contouring and UIV/LIV selection should be based on preoperative 3D TK in order to achieve normal postoperative alignment. Specifically, Lenke 1 patients with high-lying rotations should be fused distally at NV-1, while hypokyphotic patients with large lumbar curves and truncal shift should be fused at NV to improve lumbar alignment. Lenke 1C curves should be corrected using > 50% LIV rotation counterclockwise to the lumbar rotation. Further investigation should compare surgical correction between pedicle-screw and hybrid constructs using matched cohorts. DJK and overbending rods are potential predictors of postoperative alignment.

UNASSIGNED: The optimized enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients has not been comprehensively described. The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility and efficacy of an integral process of ERAS protocol in posterior spinal fusion (PSF) surgery for AIS patients without three-column osteotomy.
UNASSIGNED: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 90 AIS patients who underwent PSF were enrolled in the study. Forty-five patients followed a traditional pathway (TP) perioperative care and 45 were treated with an ERAS protocol designed and implemented by a multidisciplinary team. Patient demographic, clinical information, surgical data, and radiographic parameters were collected and analyzed retrospectively.
UNASSIGNED: There is no significant difference in age, gender, body mass index, preoperative hemoglobin level, Cobb angle, curve type, average correction rate, fusion segments, and screw number between ERAS group and TP group. Regarding the estimated blood loss (EBL), surgical duration, pain intensity, drainage duration, drainage volume, first ambulation time, postoperative length of stay (LOS), and the incidence of blood transfusion, they were significantly less in ERAS group than those of TP group.
UNASSIGNED: Based on our findings, we found that the implementation of a standard ERAS protocol in AIS correction surgery could result in less EBL, lower pain intensity, early ambulation, shorter LOS, and rapid rehabilitation. We recommend the widespread adoption of ERAS protocols in AIS surgery.

UNASSIGNED: To analyze the genotypic characteristics of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) associated dystrophic scoliosis and to summarize the outcomes of the surgical treatment of these patients.
UNASSIGNED: Exome sequencing (ES) combined with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used for genotypic identification. All patients underwent surgical treatments for spinal deformities, and the outcomes of the surgery was summarized by analyzing the clinical and imaging parameters before and after the surgery.
UNASSIGNED: Fourteen patients (six males and eight females) were clinically diagnosed as NF1 associated dystrophic scoliosis with common symptoms including café-au-lait spots, paravertebral tumors, and dystrophic scoliosis. NF1 mutations were detected in 12 (85.7%) patients, including four nonsense mutations, three splicing mutations, three frameshift mutations, and two exon deletions. The first surgical procedure included growing-rod surgery in 10 patients and posterior spinal fusion in four patients. The follow-up duration was 2.3 years (1.0-10.3 years), and the Cobb angle of the main curve improved from 61.5° (30°-125°) pre-operatively to 14.5° (0°-42°) at the last follow-up, with an average correction rate of 74.0% (44-100%). Instrumentation-related complications occurred in four patients during the follow-up period.
UNASSIGNED: In patients with dystrophic scoliosis who met the clinical diagnostic criteria for NF1, the mutation detection rate of ES combined with MLPA was 85.7%. There was no mutation hotspot in NF1 gene, molecular diagnosis could offer information about genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis and eugenics. Surgical treatment according to patient\'s age and severity could effectively correct the spinal deformities.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) combined with posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with that of conventional PSF in the treatment of adult spinal deformity (ASD).
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed for relevant studies in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Spinopelvic parameters, surgical data, complications, and clinical outcomes at the last follow-up were compared between patients with ASD who underwent LLIF combined with PSF (LLIF+PSF group) and those who underwent conventional PSF (only-PSF group).
RESULTS: Ten studies, comprising 621 patients with ASD (313 in the LLIF+PSF group and 308 in the only-PSF group), were included. The level of evidence was III for 7 studies and IV for 3 studies. There was no significant difference in the improvement in the visual analog scale score, systemic complication rate, and revision rate between groups. In the LLIF+PSF group, we noted a superior restoration of lumbar lordosis (weighted mean difference [WMD], 9.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.10 to 12.44, P < .001), pelvic tilt (WMD, -2.50; 95% CI -4.25 to -.75, P = .005), sagittal vertical axis (WMD, -21.92; 95% CI -30.73 to -13.11, P < .001), and C7 plumb line-center sacral vertical line (WMD, -4.03; 95% CI -7.52 to -.54, P = .024); a lower estimated blood loss (WMD, -719.99; 95% CI -1105.02 to -334.96, P < .001) while a prolonged operating time (WMD, 104.89; 95% CI 49.36 to 160.43, P < .001); lower incidence of pseudarthrosis (risk ratio [RR], .26; 95% CI .08 to .79, P = .017) while higher incidence of neurologic deficits (RR, 2.04; 95% CI 1.27 to 3.25, P = .003); and a better improvement in Oswestry Disability Index score (WMD, -7.04; 95% CI -10.155 to -3.93, P < .001) and Scoliosis Research Society-22 total score (WMD, .27; 95% CI .11 to .42, P = .001). The level of evidence in this systematic review and meta-analysis was II.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared with conventional PSF, LLIF combined with PSF was associated with superior restoration of sagittal and coronal alignment, lower incidence of pseudarthrosis, better improvement in quality of life, and less surgical invasiveness in the treatment of ASD, albeit at the cost of prolonged surgical times and substantially high incidence of lower extremity symptoms. Surgeons should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of this procedure, and inform patients about its side effects.

BACKGROUND: Surgical management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can be performed using standard posterior spinal fusion (PSF) or with a posterior minimally invasive approach. Minimally invasive scoliosis surgery (MISS) has several theoretical advantages, such as less tissue dissection, less blood loss, and earlier recovery. However, the difference in safety and effectiveness between MISS and PSF still needs to be clarified. This updated meta-analysis aimed to compare the outcomes of MISS and standard PSF for the management of AIS.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library without time restriction was performed to identify relevant studies. MISS and PSF were compared in terms of radiographic parameters, estimated blood loss (EBL), blood transfusion rate, operative time (ORT), length of hospital stay (LOS), overall Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) score, postoperative pain, and complication rate.
RESULTS: A total of seven studies comprising 767 patients (329 MISS and 438 PSF) with AIS were included. MISS and PSF yielded comparable deformity correction at the last follow-up. There were no significant differences in the overall SRS-22 scores or complication rates between the groups. Nevertheless, greater restoration of thoracic kyphosis (WMD, 2.98; 95% CI 0.58 to 5.37, P = 0.015), less EBL (WMD, -218.76; 95% CI -256.41 to -181.11, P < 0.001), a lower blood transfusion rate (RR, 0.31; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.48, P < 0.001), a shorter LOS (WMD, -1.48; 95% CI -2.48 to -0.48, P = 0.004), less postoperative pain (WMD, 0.57; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.98, P = 0.006), and a longer ORT (WMD, 84.85; 95% CI 33.30 to 136.40, P = 0.001) were observed in the MISS group.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite its inherent technical challenges, MISS is a feasible and effective alternative to standard PSF for AIS patients with moderate and flexible curves. MISS was associated with adequate deformity correction, better restoration of sagittal alignment, less EBL, fewer transfusions, shorter LOS, and better pain management compared to PSF. Further research is required to determine the detailed indications for the MISS procedure.