Late diagnosis of pedicle screw malplacement with perforation of the thoracic aorta after posterior stabilization in a patient with multiple myeloma: case report

Abdominal Arterial Translation in Lower Lumbar Spine Level Due to Positional Change: A Clinical Survey Using Intraoperative Computed Tomography

Background: Abdominal vascular injury, a fatal complication of lumbar disc surgery, should concern spine surgeons. This study aimed to compare the position of the abdominal arteries in the supine and prone positions and the factors involved. Thirty patients who underwent lumbar surgery by posterior approach were included. Methods: All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) preoperatively in the supine position and intraoperatively in the prone position. In the CT axial image, at the L4, L4/5 disc, L5, and L5/S1 disc level, we measured the shortest distance between the abdominal arteries and the vertebral body (SDA: shortest distance to the aorta), and the amount of abdominal arterial translation, defined as "SDA on intraoperative CT" minus "SDA on preoperative CT". Additionally, the preoperative CT axial images were evaluated for the presence of aortic calcification. Results: No significant difference in SDA values based on patients' positions was observed at each level. In males, the supine position brought the abdominal artery significantly closer to the spine at the left side of the L5/S level (p = 0.037), and, in cases of calcification of the abdominal artery, the abdominal artery was found to be closer to the spine at the left side of the L4/5 level (p = 0.026). Conclusions: It is important to confirm preoperative images correctly to prevent great vessel injuries in lumbar spine surgery using a posterior approach.

0.4% incidence of return to OR due to screw malposition in a large prospective adolescent idiopathic scoliosis database

PURPOSE

In contrast to infection and curve progression, return to OR for implant malposition is potentially within the surgeon's control. With increasing surgeon familiarity with freehand/fluoroscopic pedicle screw placement, rates of return to OR due to malposition may have decreased over time. We sought to document the incidence and risk factors for return to OR due to screw malposition in a large cohort of patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

METHODS

AIS patients enrolled in a multicenter prospective registry with minimum 2-year follow-up undergoing PSF between 2003 and 2017 were included. Surgeries with the use of intraoperative CT-guided navigation were excluded. Return to OR due to screw malposition over time was tabulated. Lenke class, age at surgery, year of surgery, height, weight, surgeon and site were evaluated.

RESULTS

2435 patients underwent PSF with non-navigated open pedicle screw instrumentation. Mean age was 14.6 years, mean thoracic curve magnitude was 53°, and mean lumbar was 40°. Patients did not routinely undergo intraoperative or postoperative CT evaluation. There were 10 returns to OR for screw malposition at a mean of 0.83 years postoperatively (range 0.1-3.4 years), for an overall incidence of 0.4%. Of the 14 screws, 10 were thoracic, 7 were left-sided. No association was found between screw malposition and curve size, enrolling site, surgeon, BMI, Lenke class, or age. Five patients had radiculopathy which improved after screw revision. Return to OR for screw malposition changed from 2003 to 2017 (1-0.2%) but this did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

Although the incidence of asymptomatic malpositioned screws is unknown, the rate of return to the OR for implant malposition overall in this registry was 1 in 250 patients. Recent data suggest the rate has decreased to 1 in 500 patients. Further work may determine whether enabling technologies can reduce the rate, ideally to a "never event".

Rating the incidence of iatrogenic vascular injuries in thoracic and lumbar spine surgery as regards the approach: A PRISMA-based literature review

PURPOSE

To assess the rate, timing of diagnosis, and repairing strategies of vascular injuries in thoracic and lumbar spine surgery as their relationship to the approach.

METHODS

PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases were utilized for a comprehensive literature search based on keywords and mesh terms to find articles reporting iatrogenic vascular injury during thoracic and lumbar spine surgery. English articles published in the last ten years were selected. The search was refined based on best match and relevance.

RESULTS

Fifty-six articles were eligible, for a cumulative volume of 261 lesions. Vascular injuries occurred in 82% of instrumented procedures and in 59% during anterior approaches. The common iliac vein (CIV) was the most involved vessel, injured in 49% of anterior lumbar approaches. Common iliac artery, CIV, and aorta were affected in 40%, 28%, and 28% of posterior approaches, respectively. Segmental arteries were injured in 68% of lateral approaches. Direct vessel laceration occurred in 81% of cases and recognized intraoperatively in 39% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Incidence of iatrogenic vascular injuries during thoracic and lumbar spine surgery is low but associated with an overall mortality rate up to 65%, of which less than 1% for anterior approaches and more than 50% for posterior ones. Anterior approaches for instrumented procedures are at risk of direct avulsion of CIV. Posterior instrumented fusions are at risk for injuries of iliac vessels and aorta. Lateral routes are frequently associated with lesions of segmental vessels. Suture repair and endovascular techniques are useful in the management of these severe complications.

Aortic injury in spine surgery……What a spine surgeon needs to know

Aortic injury is a rare, yet underreported and underestimated complication of spine surgery. Anatomical relation between the aorta and the spine changes under physiological (positional) as well as pathological (deformity) conditions, which puts the aorta at risk of injury during spine surgery. Clinical presentation of aortic injury ranges from asymptomatic perforation of the aorta to acute fatal bleeding. Although several diagnostic methods have been reported, CT-angiography remains an important diagnostic study. Several advancements in the open and the endovascular surgical management have been reported to be successfully used in the management of aortic injury following spine surgery. Management approach of malpositioned screws abutting the aorta is still controversial. Anatomical knowledge and understanding of the previously reported mechanisms of aortic injury are important to be integrated in the preoperative planning process. If the complication occurs, time-to- recognition and to-appropriate-management are important factors for predicting mortality. If unrecognized and untreated in the acutely injured patients, mortality can approach 100%.

Delayed Presentation of Thoracic Aortic Pseudoaneurysm Following Pedicle Screw Implantation: A Case Report

Background

Pedicle screw insertion has been known to have several complications even in the most skilled surgical hands. However, injury to the thoracic aorta during pedicle screw insertion is rare, delayed presentation secondary to pseudoaneurysm is even rarer, the pseudoaneurysm formation caused by a series of malpositioned pedicle screws has perhaps not been reported so far.

Case presentation

In this paper, we report here a case in which inadvertent injury to the thoracic aorta resulted in pseudoaneurysm, its manifestation was initially vague, resulting in a delayed diagnosis. Delayed aortic pseudoaneurysm or injury can be asymptomatic for a long time. Patients with renewed or continued back pain should alert orthopaedic surgeons regarding the possibility of pseudoaneurysms, regardless of the period that has elapsed after pedicle screw implantation.

Malpositioned pedicle screw in spine deformity surgery endangering the aorta: report of two cases, review of literature, and proposed management algorithm

STUDY DESIGN

Case reports and review of the literature with a proposed management algorithm.

OBJECTIVES

To report two cases of a potential vascular complication due to an incorrectly placed pedicle screw (PS) during spine deformity surgery. Relevant literature regarding the management of vascular complications is reviewed, and an evidence-based management algorithm is proposed. Aortic lesions represent a rare but potentially life-threatening complications with spine deformity and revision surgery, significantly increasing the risk. A management algorithm for an aortic lesion in the case of a malpositioned PS has not yet been published.

METHODS

Case 1: An 18-year-old female with proximal thoracic spinal non-instrumented fusion underwent a revision corrective procedure due to a progressive right-sided thoracolumbar compensatory curve. However, postoperative computed tomography (CT) performed to evaluate the position of the PS revealed malposition of the left T9 PS, which was abutting the descending aorta with CT angiography excluding the perforation of the aorta. Case 2: A 17-year-old male was scheduled for correction of Lenke 3-C-N adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Postoperative routine evaluation with low-dose CT revealed a left T9 PS paravertebral malposition, and subsequent CTA demonstrated that the thread of the PS was in contact with the descending thoracic aorta and an unlikely hemodynamically significant vessel injury.

RESULTS

Successful removal of both malpositioned PS was performed. In the first case, a cardiovascular surgeon attended the operation if an urgent thoracotomy was needed, and in the second case, additional video-assisted thoracoscopic control of the aorta was performed during PS removal.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative imaging in spinal surgery is essential to avoid major vascular and other complications when placing PS, especially in thoracic deformities. When a potential major vessel complication emerges, an interdisciplinary approach and an appropriate management algorithm are mandatory to make the best clinical decisions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Delayed Penetration of the Thoracic Aorta by Pedicle Screws: A Case Report of Screws Left As-Is

STUDY DESIGN

A case report.

OBJECTIVE

Presentation of a patient diagnosed with perforation of the aorta by pedicle screws at levels T6 and T9 2 years after spinal fusion, who was advised no intervention. Review of other reported cases that did not undergo excision of the penetrating screws.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

More than 30 cases of aortic penetration by pedicle screws were described. Gradual penetration of the screws into the aorta rarely causes symptoms other than backache. However, only two cases were treated conservatively.

METHODS

A 65-year-old female patient underwent spinal decompression and T5-T10 posterior fusion following a spinal abscess. Two years and 8 months postoperatively, she underwent a computed tomography scan for suspicion of spinal hardware infection, which showed T6 and T10 screws penetrating the thoracic aorta.

RESULTS

Due to high morbidity, the patient was not offered an operation for screw excision.

CONCLUSION

This case report adds to the only two previous reports of patients who did not undergo revision of pedicle screws penetrating thoracic aorta.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

5.

Aortic Injury by Thoracic Pedicle Screw. When Is Aortic Repair Required? Literature Review and Three New Cases

PURPOSE

Aortic injury by pedicle screw is rare but can cause serious complications. It has not been clearly determined when aortic repair is necessary in cases of screw impingement without perforation of the aortic wall. In this article, we review the treatment and clinical course of pedicle screw aortic impingement and attempt to clarify this issue.

METHODS

Cases of aortic injury during thoracic screw procedures were found using a MEDLINE search and analyzed together with 3 new cases that we present.

RESULTS

Nineteen cases collected from the literature and 3 new cases were included in the study. In 7 of the cases, aortic impingement by the pedicle screw was detected during postoperative follow-up (day 1) radiologic examinations. In the other cases, time to presentation of aortic impingement ranged between 2 weeks and 60 months after fixation. The main indications for thoracic spinal fixation were post-traumatic vertebral fracture and kyphoscoliosis/scoliosis. Repair of the aortic damage ranged from primary repair to stent and tube graft placement by the thoracic endovascular aortic repair method.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases in which the screw impinges less than 5 mm into the aortic wall, hardware revision without aortic repair may be sufficient if recognized early and there are no sign of aortic leakage in vascular imaging. However, cases with more than 5 mm of screw impingement should undergo aortic repair first, even in the absence of aortic leakage, following by screw revision.

The effect of patient positioning on the relative position of the aorta to the thoracic spine

PURPOSE

Detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the thoracic aorta is crucial for thoracolumbar spinal surgery. The purpose of the present study is to describe the relative displacement of the aorta to the spine in supine, prone and prone position with padding. Improved understanding of the magnitude and direction of this often-overlooked change could benefit preoperative planning and decision-making.

METHODS

A total of 200 patients underwent CT scan of the thoracic spine in the standard supine, prone and prone position with padding. Axial CT images from T4 to T12, in all three different positions, were selected and the following parameters were measured: (a) distance B connecting left pedicle entry point to the edge of the aortic wall and (b) projections Bx and By, representing the minimum AP depth and horizontal displacement of the aortic wall relative to the left pedicle entry point O.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the distance B between the three different positions across all thoracic vertebrae levels, confirming that positioning significantly affects aorta's relative position. Moreover, in the prone position with padding at the level of T6, the aortic wall lies at a minimum distance from the left pedicular axis and thus from the typical screw trajectory.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study show that prone positioning for posterior thoracolumbar approach affects significantly the anatomic relationship of the aorta to the spine. Surgeons should be aware that standard supine CT evaluation represents a static technique, which can differ considerably from surgical reality. These slides can be retrieved from electronic supplementary material.

EVIDENCE LEVEL OF THE PLACEMENT OF SCREWS OUTSIDE PEDICLE IN THORACIC AND LUMBAR SPINE

ABSTRACT International recommendations in spine surgery require reproducible, safe and effective procedures. The placement of pedicle screws is technically demanding and relies on different methods of support, which result a high rate of complications related to suboptimal screw placement, with reports ranging from 15.7% to 40% according to Hansen-Algenstaedt N and Koktekir E in separate studies. This study carried out a systematic review of existing literature to identify the level of evidence of the placement of pedicle screws outside the pedicle in thoracic and lumbar spine. For the systematic review, a search of the existing literature, based on the use of MeSH terms in PubMed-Medline, Ovid, The Cochrane Library, MedicLatina, Elsevier, and EBSCO databases. According to the literature found, most authors agree that the placement of screws outside the pedicle itself does not represent a serious complication or that requires repositioning in a second surgery even when they are found to have a violation up to 50% of the medial wall of the pedicle. However, they agree that repositioning should be immediate if it is shown with imaging studies such as MRI and CT that endangers vascular and/or neurological structures, or are associated with biomechanical alterations of the spine. Level of Evidence II; Systematic Review of studies level II.

Right mainstem bronchoplasty 18 years following thoracic spinal implant surgery

Thoracic spinal surgery has many complications ranging from surgical site infection, chronic pain, periarticular arthrosis, displacement of spinal screws and hardware migration to a lesser degree. Reports of spinal implants penetrating the aorta have been described in the literature, however to our knowledge, lower airway obstruction due to spinal hardware migration has not been reported. Here we describe a case of a patient presenting with a right main stem bronchial obstruction and pneumonia secondary to the migration of the surgical spinal hardware into the lower airway 18 years after his initial intervention. We describe our surgical approach, management and outcomes using bronchoscopy and open thoracotomy. Bronchial obstruction is not a common complication of thoracic spinal surgery, however in remote cases patients may present with rare consequences, it is therefore important to pay close attention to patients' clinical and surgical history since surgical complications may appear years after.

Lumbar segmental artery pseudoaneurysm after L5 pedicle screw placement. A rare vascular complication

Posterior lumbar screw fixation is a common surgical procedure nowadays. However, it can sometimes produce complications that can be devastating. One of the less common causes of major complication is the misplacement of a pedicle screw. This highlights the importance of being methodical when placing pedicle screws, and checking that the pathway has been created correctly and their placement. We present a case of a massive bleed after a pedicular screw placement during lumbar canal stenosis surgery. Screw malposition led to intraoperative haemodynamic instability after failed attempts to control bleeding in the surgical site. Contrast enhanced CT imaging revealed a lumbar intersegmentary artery injury that was eventually controlled by means of a coil embolisation.

[Prevention of aortic erosion by a bone cement skid : Thoracic endovascular aortic repair following kyphoplasty]

The underlying case report describes the successful endovascular prevention of an aortic injury by a bone cement skid after kyphoplasty. The intervention was performed in order to prohibit fatal aortic rupture or embolisation and underlines the role of vascular surgery techniques in interdisciplinary clinical networks.

Delayed Presentation of Aortic Injury by a Thoracic Pedicle Screw

Delayed presentation of a thoracic aortic injury is an extremely rare complication after spine surgery. We report a case of delayed presentation of a thoracic aortic injury with a vertebral pedicle screw after posterior spinal surgery without periaortic hematoma, hemorrhage or pseudoaneurysm formation and review the relevant literature.

CT-Based Anatomical Evaluation of Pre-Vertebral Structures With Respect to Vertebral Body Using a Clock-Face Analogy

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective Chart and CT Scan Review.

OBJECTIVE

To define the relationship of the pre-vertebral structures for each level to assist in easier intraoperative visualization.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Vascular and visceral injuries from pedicle screws are well-known. This study will define the relationship of the pre-vertebral structures for each level to assist in avoiding potential complications.

METHODS

Pre- and post-operative CT scans were reviewed to define the pre-vertebral structures in relation to a clock-face. On reformatted axial slices, a clock-face was superimposed so that the left transverse process (TP) represented 8 o'clock and the right TP represented 4 o'clock. The positions of the TP on the clock-face did not change with rotation of the vertebra.

RESULTS

108 patients had pre-operative CT scans. 78 had post-operative CT scans. Median age was 15 years, median Cobb angle was 50°, fused were 12, with 21 fixation points. 6324 axial CT slices were reformatted and analyzed. The trachea was located at 12 o'clock at T1, 1 o'clock at T2-T4, and between 12 and 1 o'clock at T5. The esophagus starts as a midline structure at 12 o'clock from T1-T2, moves to 11 o'clock from T3-T6, and further to 10 o'clock from T7-T9. The aorta starts at 10 o'clock at T5-T6, moves left at T7-T8 to 9 o'clock, and returns to 10 o'clock from T9-T11. It appears at 11'clock at T12, and at 12 o'clock from L1-L4. In about a third of cases, it is at 1 o'clock from L1 to L4, where it bifurcates.

CONCLUSIONS

This CT-based anatomical study provides a simple reference frame to help surgeons visualize the vital structures at each level. This three-dimensional visualization is facilitated by fixing the position of TP on the clock-face. Knowledge of this anatomical relationship can help avoid direct injury, and is easier to recall intra-operatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Thoracic Aortic Injury: Embolization of the Tenth Intercostal Artery and Endovascular Treatment in a Young Woman after Posterior Spinal Instrumentation

Iatrogenic aortic injuries are rare and well-recognized complications of a variety of procedures, including spinal surgery. The placement of pedicle screws is sometimes associated with devastating consequences. Aortic perforation with rapid hematoma formation and delayed aortic trauma leading to pseudoaneurysm formation have been described in the literature. A case describing a significant time interval between iatrogenic aortic injury and diagnosis in the absence of pseudoaneurysm formation is described in this paper and, according to our knowledge, is unique in the literature. The aortic injury was successfully treated, selecting the appropriate graft and, as a consequence, normal spinal cord blood flow was achieved.

Endovascular aortic injury repair after thoracic pedicle screw placement

Our objective was to describe the management and prevention of thoracic aortic injuries caused by a malposition of pedicle screws in corrective surgery of major spine deformities. Positioning pedicle screws in thoracic vertebras by posterior approach exposes to the risk of injury of the elements placed ahead of the thoracic spine, as the descending thoracic aorta. This complication can result in a cataclysmic bleeding, needing urgent vascular care, but it can also be totally asymptomatic, resulting in the long run in a pseudoaneurysm, justifying the systematic removal of the hardware. We report the case of a 76-year-old woman who underwent spinal correction surgery for thoraco-lumbar degenerative kypho-scoliosis. Immediately after the surgery, a thoracic aortic injury caused by the left T7 pedicle screw was diagnosed. The patient underwent a two-step surgery. The first step was realized by vascular surgeons and aimed to secure the aortic wall by short endovascular aortic grafting. During the second step, spine surgeons removed the responsible screw by posterior approach. The patient was discharged in a rehabilitation center 7 days after the second surgery. When such a complication occurs, a co-management by vascular and spine surgeons is necessary to avoid major complications. Endovascular management of this kind of vascular injuries permits to avoid an open surgery that have a great rate of morbi-mortality in frail patients. Nowadays, technologies exist to prevent this kind of event and may improve the security when positioning pedicle screws.

Elective thoracotomy for pedicle screw removal to prevent severe aortic bleeding

We present a case of a 33-year-old female who sustained multiple injuries of her spine, including spinous process fractures of C5 to C7 and a lamina fracture of C6 and C7. Her thoracic spine showed transverse process fractures of T4 to T10, a compression fracture and lamina fracture of T3, spinous process and transverse process fractures of T4 and T5, a rotation injury of T6, as well as a compression fracture of L1. Thirteen months after posterior thoracic spinal instrumentation, a pedicle screw was suspected to be in contact with the aorta, which was proved by computed tomography angiograms. Consequently, implant removal was planned with direct exposure of the aorta in order to allow for immediate repair if needed. So far, studies that compare different techniques to remove pedicle screws that are suspected to penetrate the aorta are missing. However, different techniques have been described in case reports, mainly minimally invasive endovascular techniques vs open techniques such as thoracotomy.

Aortic dissection associated with penetration of a spinal pedicle screw: a case report and review of the literature

A 30-year-old male underwent a corrective posterior instrumented spinal fusion for scoliosis. Six years later, he was found to have an aortic dissection after aortic penetration of a spinal pedicle screw. We review the literature, including diagnostic modalities, and treatment decision-making for this unusual complication.

Periaortic pedicle screw removal with endovascular control of the aorta and intraoperative aortography: a case report and review of the literature

Study Design  Case report and review of the literature.

Objective The objective of the article is to report the case of a 20-year-old patient with a threatened aortic injury from pedicle screw instrumentation successfully managed without aortic grafting.

Methods The patient's clinical course is retrospectively reviewed. The offending hardware was removed after gaining endovascular control of the aorta.

Results Intraoperative aortography was normal and no graft was placed. The patient remains asymptomatic at 2 years after surgery.

Conclusions Hardware impinging on the aorta can safely be removed by gaining endovascular control of the aorta. In the setting of normal intraoperative aortography in a young patient, we recommend against further intervention to avoid the known morbidity of aortic grafting.

Position of the aorta relative to the spine in patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis

STUDY DESIGN

A computed tomographic study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the anatomic relationship between the aorta and the spine in patients with thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

The lumbar spinal osteotomy has been widely adopted for the correction of thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis caused by AS. During this procedure, the aorta may be stretched at the osteotomized level and in proximity to the tip of the pedicle screw, both of which imply a potential risk of the aortic injury. To date, no reports have been specifically published for describing the position of the aorta relative to the spine in patients with AS with fixed thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients with AS with thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis and 38 age- and sex-matched patients with a normal spine were included in this study. For each subject, the left pedicle-aorta angle and distance were measured from T9 to L3 on the computed tomographic scans. Radiographs were analyzed to measure the global kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and to record the apex of the kyphotic curve.

RESULTS

At T9-L3 levels, patients with AS with thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis exhibited significantly smaller left pedicle-aorta angles (from 10.23° to -11.56°) and larger distances (from 39.0 to 55.5 mm) than those with a normal spine. With increased global kyphosis, the aorta shifted more laterally to the right at periapical levels (L1 and L2, P < 0.05). Notably, the aorta was located at the middle front of the vertebrae at T12-L1 levels and far away from the vertebrae at L2 and L3 levels.

CONCLUSION

In patients with AS with thoracolumbar/lumbar kyphosis, the aorta is positioned more anteromedially relative to the vertebral body than that in the normal subjects. The aorta is far away from the vertebral body at L2 and L3 levels, thus it could be much safer to perform osteotomy below L1.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Combined thoracic endovascular aortic repair and neurosurgical intervention for injury due to posterior spine surgery

Aortic injuries represent a rare but life-threatening complication of spinal surgery. Perforation of the aorta due to pedicle screw penetration or misplacement can lead to immediate bleeding with hemodynamic instability or to pseudoaneurysm development with delayed risk of rupture, which can occur weeks to months later. Recently, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in aortic trauma has contributed to a reduction of both mortality and morbidity. The literature on this subject is reviewed.

Current concepts and controversies on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Part II

A new era in the surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) opened with the introduction of pedicle screw instrumentation, which provides 3-column vertebral fixation and allows major deformity correction on the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes. A steep learning curve can be expected for spinal surgeons to become familiar with pedicle screw placement and correction techniques. Potential complications including injury to adjacent neural, vascular, and visceral structures can occur due to screw misplacement or pull-out during correction maneuvers. These major complications are better recognized as pedicle screw techniques become more popular and may result in serious morbidity and mortality. Extensive laboratory and clinical training is mandatory before pedicle screw techniques in scoliosis surgery are put to practice. Wider application, especially in developing countries, is limited by the high cost of implants. Refined correction techniques are currently developed and these utilize a lesser number of pedicle anchors which are strategically positioned to allow optimum deformity correction while reducing the neurological risk, surgical time, and blood loss, as well as instrumentation cost. Such techniques can be particularly attractive at a time when cost has major implications on provision of health care as they can make scoliosis treatment available to a wider population of patients. Pedicle screw techniques are currently considered the gold standard for scoliosis correction due to their documented superior biomechanical properties and ability to produce improved clinical outcomes as reflected by health-related quality-of-life questionnaires. Ongoing research promises further advances with the future of AIS treatment incorporating genetic counseling and possibly fusionless techniques.