Does vertebral body tethering cause disc and facet joint degeneration? A preliminary MRI study with minimum two years follow-up.

Background Context: Vertebral body tethering (VBT), a flexible compression-based growth modulation technique, was claimed to prevent disc degeneration due to its less rigid nature compared to other growth-friendly techniques. Yet, the consequences of VBT surgery on discs and facet joints have not been precisely acknowledged.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in the intermediate and adjacent levels at least 2 years after surgery.

Intraoperative neuromonitoring practice patterns in spinal deformity surgery: a global survey of the Scoliosis Research Society.

Purpose: Although multimodal IONM has reached a widespread use, several unresolved issues have remained in clinical practice. The aim was to determine differences in approaches to form a basis for taking actions to improve patient safety globally.

Methods: A survey comprising 19 questions in four sections (demographics, setup, routine practices and reaction to alerts) was distributed to the membership of the SRS.