OBJECTIVETo retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes of anterior and posterior surgical treatment in single thoracolumbar-lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

METHODSBetween January 2004 and August 2008, 22 female patients, averaged 14.5 years old (12 to 18 years), of thoracolumbar-lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were corrected by anterior correction and fusion. At the same time, 20 female patients, average 14.8 years old (11 to 19 years), were corrected by posterior segmental pedicle screw correction and fusion. Operation time, SRS-24 score, intraoperative blood loss, and coronal and sagittal plane correction were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 12 to 63 months, the mean follow-up time was 28.3 months. Operation time was (334 + or - 36) min in anterior group and (292 + or - 17) min in posterior group; intraoperative blood loose was (940 + or - 207) ml in anterior group and (596 + or - 227) ml in posterior group; fusion levels were (5.2 + or - 0.8) in anterior group and (6.7 + or - 1.2) in posterior group. There were statistically significant difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss and fusion levels (P < 0.05). Coronal correction was (93 + or - 5)% in anterior group and (88 + or - 5)% in posterior group. SRS-24 scores averaged 98 in anterior group and averaged 94 in posterior group. There was no statistical difference in coronal correction or SRS-24 scores (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPosterior surgery has the same correction results compared with anterior surgery in treating thoracolumbar-lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Posterior surgery takes less operation time, brings less trauma but has longer fusion levels.