Evidence-Based Resources
Straightening
Dr. Newton and co-authors reported curve correction in matched patients with Thoracic scoliosis of 63% following PSF vs 41% following VBT (2022) .
Other non-matched, comparison research studies have found curve correction rates of 63%-77% following PSF vs 43-82% following VBT.
Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF)
- Newton, 2020: PSF = 69% vs VBT = 43% curve correction of Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32379117/
- Newton, 2022: Propensity matched patients: PSF = 63% vs VBT = 41% curve correction of Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37010479/
- Mathew, 2022: PSF = 66% vs VBT = 46% curve correction of curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35610543/
Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT)
- Samdani, 2014: VBT = 70% curve correction of Thoracic curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24921854/
- Samdani, 2015: VBT = 58% curve correction of Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24921854/
- Newton, 2018: VBT = 50% curve correction of Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30277999/
- Pehlivanoglu, 2020: VBT = 79% curve correction of Thoracic curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32427800/
- Miyanji, 2020: VBT = 43% curve correction of tethered curve in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33249889/
- Hoernschemeyer, 2020: VBT = 82% curve correction Thoracic curves, 57% curve correction Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32618924/
- Baker, 2021: VBT = 43% curve correction of Thoracic curves, 76% curve correction of Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33113121/
- Pehlivanoglu, 2021: VBT = 80% curve correction of Thoracic curves, 82% curve correction of Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves in bilateral VBT in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33611658/
- Rushton, 2021: VBT = 58% curve correction in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34091563/
- Samdani, 2021: VBT = 55% curve correction in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34185722/
- VonTreuheim, 2022: VBT = 58% curve correction in skeletally immature IS vs 40% curve correction in skeletally mature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36113952/
- Meyers, 2022: VBT = 48% curve correction Thoracic curves, 59% curve correction Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35683548/
- Boeyer, 2023: VBT = 68% curve correction Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36820998/
- Hoernschemeyer, 2023: VBT = 45-50% curve correction of Thoracic curves in bilateral VBT in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38180517/
- Roser, 2023: 54% average curve correction of a meta-analysis of VBT in AIS.
Flexibility & Motion
Studies have found that flexibility is greater following VBT vs PSF: In the instrumented segment, 50% of motion is preserved and overall spine flexibility is ~12-20 degrees greater following VBT.
Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF)
- Pehlivanoglu, 2021: Greater lumbar flexibility (range of motion) following VBT vs PSF.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33683642/
- Pahys, 2022: Flexibility loss following PSF is greater vs VBT in forward bending, side bending, and rotation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35766407/
- Marks, 2024 (in press): Instrumented segment flexibility loss after VBT is 50% that of PSF Post-op flexibility: In the instrumented segment, VBT side bending, and forward bending is 14-16 degrees greater than PSF. In overall spinal flexibility, VBT forward bending is 22 degrees more than PSF, but side bending is not statistically different. In the distal un-instrumented segments motion is not statistically different.
Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT)
- Buyuk, 2021: Flexibility in the instrumented segments of the spine following VBT = 21 degrees in forward bending and 20 degrees in side bending.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34270505/
- Mathew, 2022: 46% maintenance of pre-op trunk flexibility after VBT in AIS, flexibility in the instrumented segments of the spine following VBT = 30 degrees in forward bending and 17 degrees in side bending.
Recovery Time
Studies have found no difference in hospital length of stay following VBT vs PSF but have shown patients return to full activity 3 months following VBT.
Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF)
- Newton, 2020: No difference in Length of Hospital Stay following VBT vs PSF
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32379117/
- Matthew, 2022: Less Estimated blood loss, shorter Operating time, and shorter Length of Hospital Stay following VBT vs PSF
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35610543/
Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT)
- Miyanji, 2020: Patients returned to full activity 3 months following VBT.
Risk Of Another Surgery
Studies have shown following the risk of another surgery is 0-2% following PSF vs 4-41% following VBT.
Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF)
- Newton, 2020: PSF = 0% vs VBT = 39% revisions in Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32379117/
- Newton, 2022: Propensity matched patients: PSF = 2% vs VBT = 11% revisions in Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37010479/
- Mathew, 2022: PSF = <1% vs VBT = 15% revisions in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35610543/
Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT)
- Samdani, 2014: VBT = 18% revisions in Thoracic curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24921854/
- Samdani, 2015: VBT = 18% revisions in Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24921854/
- Newton, 2018: VBT = 41% revisions in Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30277999/
- Pehlivanoglu, 2020: VBT = 4% revisions in Thoracic curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32427800/
- Miyanji, 2020: VBT = 10% required fusion in tethered curve in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33249889/
- Hoernschemeyer, 2020: VBT = 22% revisions in Thoracic curves in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32618924/
- Baker, 2021: VBT = 24% revisions in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33113121/
- Pehlivanoglu, 2021: VBT = 0% revisions in bilateral VBT in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33611658/
- Rushton, 2021: VBT = 13% revisions in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34091563/
- Samdani, 2021: VBT = 12% revisions in skeletally immature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34185722/
- VonTreuheim, 2022: VBT = 0% revisions in skeletally immature IS vs 40% curve correction in skeletally mature IS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36113952/
- Meyers, 2022: VBT = 4% revisions in curves in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35683548/
- Boeyer, 2023: VBT = 10% revisions in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36820998/
- Hoernschemeyer, 2023: VBT = 8% revisions in bilateral VBT in AIS.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38180517/
- Roser, 2023: VBT = 10% required fusion in a meta-analysis in AIS.