Development of a Treatment Matrix for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (IS)
The following post is an abridged version of a PowerPoint talk I recently presented to the Washington University School of Medicine Orthopaedics Residents on 3-21-2023. It is important to understand the purpose of this talk is to present these big treatment topics in a high-level manner, a 30,000 foot view, to provide a framework to […]
Instructional PowerPoint on the Free-Hand Technique of Thoracic Pedicle Screw Placement
The following talk is one aimed at surgeons interested in learning how to place thoracic pedicle screws for spinal deformity surgical treatment.
Recent Talk on Early-Onset Scoliosis and Treatment Decision-Making
Neuromuscular Scoliosis: Use of Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods
In the second-to-last blog post the concept of using Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods (MCGR) was presented for treatment of NeuroMuscular Scoliosis (NMS). In that post the different cranial/upper and the caudal/lower foundations were discussed briefly, and the reasons for why we choose one type over another. In this post the use of proximal screws and distal […]
Recent Publication on Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering (AVBT) Compared with Posterior Spinal Fusion for Major Thoracic Curves: A Retrospective Comparison by the Harms Study Group
Study Cohort: Thoracic Idiopathic Scoliosis patients who underwent Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering (AVBT) with minimum 2-year follow-up after surgery and propensity matched to Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF) patients from Harms Study Group multicenter database. 237 AVBT patients (thoracic curve tethered only) vs. 237 PSF patients Propensity matched using: age, preoperative thoracic curve magnitude, sex, and […]
Recent Publication on Magnetically-Controlled Growing Rods
Growing Rod Constructs for Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis
This talk was presented at the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium in Orlando, Florida last November 2022. My topic was to talk on patients with neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) who were less than 8 years of age, presenting the argument to do Growing Rod (GR) surgeries, instead of performing a Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF). My opponent was […]
Talking Points about Thoracic Vertebral Body Tethering vs. ApiFix
Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) and the ApiFix device are procedures which have garnered a lot of attention from surgeons, patients and families. Below is a list of talking points which should be known about VBT and ApiFix so there can be informative, educated, transparent discussions about VBT and ApiFix, when compared to the other commonly-performed […]
Use of Magnetically-Controlled (MAGEC) Growing Rods in Neuromuscular Scoliosis
In past blog posts we have presented Magnetically-Controlled (MAGEC) Growing Rods. 1) There was the three-part series on the following dates: 3-9-2017 MAGEC: Part 1 5-3-2017 MAGEC: Part 2 5-18-2017 MAGEC: Part 3 2) On 11-28-2021 a study on the use of MAGEC vs. Posterior Spinal Fusion vs. Vertebral Body Tethering in 8-11 year […]
Posterior Spinal Fusion for Thoracic Scheuermann’s Kyphosis
Two blog posts ago the topic of thoracic Scheuermann’s Kyphosis (SK) was presented, stopping short of discussing the surgical treatment. In this post we will show a patient who underwent correction of his SK using posterior column osteotomies (see blog post from 9-6-2020) and posterior spinal fusion (see blog post from 1-16-2022). The two […]