Early Adherence to Prescribed Brace Wear for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Is Associated With Future Brace Wear.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess if initial adherence to prescribed brace wear for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) predicts future adherence and curve improvement.

Summary Of Background Data: AIS bracing can be effective if patients adhere to prescribed brace wear.

The Effects of Body Mass Index and Spine Flexibility on Surgical Outcomes for Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), spine flexibility index (FI), and their combined effects on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) surgical outcomes.

Background: BMI and FI are two factors considered during presurgical planning for AIS correction, but there is sparse research about their relationship.

Bracing for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis: retrospective review from bracing to skeletal maturity.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS) outcomes with brace treatment are limited with poorly described bracing protocols. Between 49 and 100% of children with JIS will progress to surgery, however, young age, long follow-up, and varying treatment methods make studying this population difficult. The purpose of this study is to report the outcomes of bracing in JIS treated with a Boston brace™ and identify risk factors for progression and surgical intervention.

Spinal Fusion in Pediatric Patients With Low Bone Density: Defining the Value of DXA.

Background: Children with medical complexity are at increased risk of low bone mineral density (BMD) and complications after spinal fusion compared with idiopathic scoliosis patients. Our aim was to compare treatments and outcomes of children with medical complexity undergoing spinal fusion in those who had dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans versus those who did not in an effort to standardize the workup of these patients before undergoing spinal surgery.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients with low BMD who underwent spinal fusion at a tertiary care pediatric hospital between 2004 and 2016.

Biomechanical Effects of Thoracolumbosacral Orthosis Design Features on 3D Correction in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comprehensive Multicenter Study.

Study Design: Multicenter numerical study.

Objective: To biomechanically analyze and compare various passive correction features of braces, designed by several centers with diverse practices, for three-dimensional (3D) correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Summary Of Background Data: A wide variety of brace designs exist, but their biomechanical effectiveness is not clearly understood.

Performing Multiple Posterior Spinal Fusions in 1 Day: A Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes Between Morning and Afternoon Cases.

Background: High-volume centers for idiopathic scoliosis (IS) have difficulty in scheduling posterior spinal fusions (PSFs) due to operating room availability, particularly during school vacation. A solution is for 1 surgeon to perform 2 PSF cases back-to-back. This study aims to compare morning and afternoon PSF cases performed by the same surgeon for perioperative outcomes.

Variability in Antibiotic Treatment of Pediatric Surgical Site Infection After Spinal Fusion at A Single Institution.

Background: Recent focus on surgical site infections (SSIs) after posterior spine fusion (PSF) has lowered infection rates by standardizing perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. However, efforts have neglected to detail antibiotic treatment of SSIs. Our aim was to document variability in antibiotic regimens prescribed for acute and latent SSIs following PSF in children with idiopathic, neuromuscular, and syndromic scoliosis.

Scoliosis with Chiari I malformation without associated syringomyelia.

Purpose: Many patients with presumed idiopathic scoliosis are found to have Chiari I malformation (CM-I) on MRI. The objective of this study is to report on scoliosis progression in CM-I with no syringomyelia.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with scoliosis and CM-I was conducted from 1997 to 2015.

Why Irrigate for the Same Contamination Rate: Wound Contamination in Pediatric Spinal Surgery Using Betadine Versus Saline.

Background: The risk of surgical site infection in pediatric posterior spine fusion (PSF) is up to 4.3% in idiopathic populations and 24% in patients with neuromuscular disease. Twenty-three percent of pediatric PSF tissue cultures are positive before closure, with a higher rate in neuromuscular patients.

Efficacy of bracing in skeletally immature patients with moderate-severe idiopathic scoliosis curves between 40° and 60°.

Study Design: Retrospective case-series.

Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of bracing in skeletally immature patients with moderate-severe idiopathic scoliosis (IS) curves ≥ 40°.

Background: In contrast to prior beliefs, the recent studies have reported successful outcomes with brace treatment may occur in some patients with moderate-severe scoliosis ≥ 40°.

Occipital Plate Fixation in the Pediatric Population.

Background: Occipital plate fixation has been shown to improve outcomes in cervical spine fusion. There is a paucity of literature describing occipital plate fixation, especially in the pediatric population. The authors reviewed a case series of 34 patients at a pediatric hospital who underwent cervical spine fusion with occipital plate fixation between 2003 and 2016.

Establishing consensus on the best practice guidelines for the use of bracing in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Study Design: Survey.

Objectives: Bracing is the mainstay of conservative treatment in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). The purpose of this study was to establish best practice guidelines (BPG) among a multidisciplinary group of international bracing experts including surgeons, physiatrists, physical therapists, and orthotists utilizing formal consensus building techniques.

Chiari I malformations with syringomyelia: long-term results of neurosurgical decompression.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objectives: The objective was to assess the long-term outcomes on scoliosis following Chiari-I (CM-I) decompression in patients with CM-I and syringomyelia (SM). A secondary objective was to identify risk factors of scoliosis progression.

Acute Implant-related Complications in Pediatric Cervical Spine Fusion.

Background: The use of modern rigid instrumentation in pediatric cervical fusions decreases the risk of implant-related complications, both acute and long term. However, previous studies have indicated that acute implant-related issues still occur in the adult population. Reports of pediatric acute implant complications, occurring within 3 months of surgery, are under-represented in the literature.

Surgical Fixation Using Screw-Rod Construct Instrumentation for Upper Cervical Instability in Pediatric Down Syndrome Patients.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objectives: To describe the indications and outcomes of cervical fixation using modern instrumentation in a case series of pediatric Down syndrome (DS) patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Cervical instability is the major cervical spine concern in children with DS.

Perioperative acute neurological deficits in instrumented pediatric cervical spine fusions.

Objective: Pediatric cervical deformity is a complex disorder often associated with neurological deterioration requiring cervical spine fusion. However, limited literature exists on new perioperative neurological deficits in children. This study describes new perioperative neurological deficits in pediatric cervical spine instrumentation and fusion.

Intraoperative Use of O-arm in Pediatric Cervical Spine Surgery.

Introduction: Traditionally, fluoroscopy and postoperative computed tomographic (CT) scans are used to evaluate screw position after pediatric cervical spine fusion. However, noncontained screws detected postoperatively can require revision surgery. Intraoperative O-arm is a 3-dimensional CT imaging technique, which allows intraoperative evaluation of screw position and potentially avoids reoperations because of implant malposition.

Restoration of normal pelvic balance from surgical reduction in high-grade spondylolisthesis.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of surgical reduction in high-grade spondylolisthesis in maintaining or restoring a normal pelvic balance, as related to the QoL.

Methods: It is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 60 patients (17 males, 43 females) aged 15 ± 3.1 years who underwent surgery for high-grade spondylolisthesis and were followed for a minimum of 2 years after surgery.

Retraction Note: Brace classification study group (BCSG): part one - definitions and atlas.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1186/s13013-016-0102-y.].

C2 Translaminar Screw Fixation in Children.

Background: Axis (C2) screw fixation has been shown to be effective in treating disorders that necessitate cervical stabilization. Although translaminar C2 screws have demonstrated clinical efficacy in adults, this technique has not yet been thoroughly investigated in children. This study describes the indications, technique, and results of translaminar C2 screw fixation in a case series of pediatric cervical spine disorders.

Sagittal plane parameters in growing rod patients following final fusion.

Unlabelled: Almost half of growing rod (GR) patients that undergo final fusion (FF) have an extension of instrumented levels. The purpose of this study was to review sagittal plane radiographic parameters of patients with distal extension of instrumented levels at FF to those whose levels remained the same. Radiographs were assessed preoperatively, after GR insertion/first lengthening, following GR treatment before FFs, and after FF.

Brace Classification Study Group (BCSG): part one - definitions and atlas.

Background: The current increase in types of scoliosis braces defined by a surname or a town makes scientific classification essential. Currently, it is a challenge to compare braces and specify the indications of each brace. A precise definition of the characteristics of current braces is needed.

Efficacy of Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring for Pediatric Cervical Spine Surgery.

Study Design: Clinical case series.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of intraoperative neuromonitoring in pediatric cervical spine surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) consisting of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP) and transcranial motor-evoked potentials (tcMEP) has been shown to effectively prevent permaneny neurologic injury in deformity surgery.

Allograft Bone Use in Pediatric Subaxial Cervical Spine Fusions.

Background: The use of freeze-dried allograft as a bone graft substitute for pediatric spine surgery is safe and efficacious in the thoracic and lumbar spines. Allograft bone use in segmental instrumented fusions in the subaxial cervical spine has not been well reported in the literature. We sought to describe our experience with allograft bone in this patient cohort, and to compare union rates to patients treated with autograft.