Fate of Proximal Thoracic Curve in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis after Selective Thoracic Fusion (Systematic Review of Literature)

Abstract

Scoliosis is a spinal deformity that refers to a deviation of the spine greater than 10° in the coronal plane. Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of scoliosis and spinal deformity as well. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common form of idiopathic scoliosis, occurring at the age of 10 years or greater. Available surgical options for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis include posterior spinal fusion (PSF), anterior spinal fusion (ASF), or a combination of both. PSF remains the gold standard for the treatment of thoracic and double major curves (most cases). ASF is indicated for thoracolumbar and lumbar cases having a normal sagittal profile. Corrective surgery of AIS can result in several benefits for the affected patients including improvements in esthetics, quality of life, disability, back pain, psychological well-being, and breathing function. It also can stop the progression of the curve in adulthood, removing the need for further treatments in adulthood On the other hand, AIS surgery still might result in a variety of complications whose long-term impact is poorly understood including neurological damage, loss of normal spinal function, the strain on unfused vertebrae, curvature progression, decompensation and increased sagittal deformity, increased torso deformity, delayed paraparesis, and pseudarthrosis. Degenerative