Treatment of adult idiopathic thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis by wide posterior release and all pedicle screw technique

[Objective]To evaluate the efficacy of wide posterior release and all pedicle screw technique in the treatment of adult idiopathic thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis.[Method]Twenty-seven adult idiopathic thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis patients were surgically treated by wide posterior release and all pedicle screws fixation from January 2005 to June 2008.Preoperative mean Cobb angle of major curve on coronal plane was 48.6°(42-63°),and the mean correction rate of side bending film was 34.2%.Mean followed-up period was 27.4 months(24-36 months).Preoperative and postoperative Cobb angles of coronal plane and sagittal plane and trunk balance were analyzed.The subjective efficacy was assessed by questionnaire.[Result]Clinical appearance of all patients improved significantly.Mean correction of major curve of the coronal plane was 62.1%.Mean loss of correction on coronal plane at the last follow-up was 2.3°,and coronal trunk balance was corrected from 26 mm to 8 mm.Preoperative mean Cobb angle of lumbar lordosis increased from 36.7° to 39.6°.[Conclusion]Radiological assessment and patients′ self-evaluation showed that wide posterior release and all pedicle screw technique could gain good coronal and sagittal correction and trunk balance for adult idiopathic thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis.