Surface topography assessment of body shape after surgical correction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

HYPOTHESIS

Body surface topography (ST) improvements are associated with surgical correction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and correlate with radiographic imaging.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION

Patients undergoing correction of AIS are most affected by body image. Radiographs have been the standard assessment tool but do not assess body shape features. ST, a validated, radiation-free assessment tool, directly represents the patient's deformity. We set out to assess ST improvements associated with surgical correction in AIS.

METHODS

Twenty-three consecutive operative AIS patients were enrolled and had radiographs and posterior ST obtained pre- and postoperatively (PO). ST changes were compared using paired t test, and correlations of ST with radiograph measurements were evaluated by linear regression.

RESULTS

Mean age at surgery was 15.0 ± 2 years, 82.6% female with mean follow-up of 1.0 year. Major Cobb angle improved from 56.91° ± 15.57° to 13.70° ± 4.89°. ST scoliosis angle corrected from 41.43° ± 11.52° to 11.78° ± 7.84° (p < .0001). Trunk length increased from 401.22 ± 32.43 to 422.30 ± 25.77 mm (Δ21.08 mm; p = .0004). Pelvic obliquity (waist asymmetry) trended toward improvement (6.0 ± 4.3 vs. 5.3 ± 7.1 mm; p = .06). Surface rotation was corrected from 17.35 ± 6.73 to 11.8 ± 4.12 mm (p < .0001), highly correlated with clinical trunk rotation (T p = .002 and TL p = .02). ST highly correlated with radiographic parameters. Sagittal balance correlated with improved function (p = .02).

CONCLUSION

ST, a radiation-free body shape assessment tool, improved with surgical correction of AIS and was highly correlated with radiographic outcomes.