{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T21:50:40Z","timestamp":1788558640928,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,14]],"date-time":"2023-03-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1678752000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pediatr."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Skeletally immature patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) whose curves continue to progress despite bracing should be treated surgically. Vertebral body tethering (VBT) is a non-fusion, compression-based, growth preserving alternative to posterior spinal fusion (PSF) based on the concept of \u2018growth modulation\u2019 to prevent possible functional complications secondary to fusion while correcting scoliotic deformity. This review aims to shed light on the indications of VBT, short- and medium-term outcomes, describe the surgical technique and associated complications, and to compare its efficacy to that of PSF.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A review of peer-reviewed literature on VBT as a surgical technique, its indications, outcomes, complications, and comparison with other surgical interventions to correct AIS was conducted in December 2022.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Indications remain controversial and mainly include stage of skeletal maturity based on radiographic markers, curve location, magnitude and flexibility, and presence of secondary curve. Assessment of VBT clinical success should not be restricted to improvement in radiographic parameters but should include functional results and patient-centered outcomes, improved body image and pain, and durability of outcomes. In contrast to fusion, VBT seems to be associated with preserved spinal growth, shorter recovery, potentially better functional outcomes, less motion loss but possibly less curve correction.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Yet still, with VBT there exists a risk of overcorrection, construct breakage or failure of procedure which require revision and at times conversion to PSF. Patient and family preferences must be accounted for acknowledging gaps in knowledge, attributes and drawbacks of each intervention.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2023.1133049","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,14]],"date-time":"2023-03-14T00:56:50Z","timestamp":1678755410000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Vertebral body tethering: An alternative to posterior spinal fusion in idiopathic scoliosis?"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Ahmad M.","family":"Hammad","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Balsano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alaaeldin A.","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1542\/pir.32.9.397","article-title":"Scoliosis","volume":"32","author":"Rosenberg","year":"2011","journal-title":"Pediatr Rev"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pcl.2014.08.007","article-title":"Update on evaluation and treatment of scoliosis","volume":"61","author":"El-Hawary","year":"2014","journal-title":"Pediatr Clin North Am"},{"key":"B3","article-title":"Adolescent and idiopathic scoliosis","volume-title":"Statpearls","author":"Menger","year":"2022"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1005","DOI":"10.1007\/s43390-021-00296-5","article-title":"Could have tethered: predicting the proportion of scoliosis patients most appropriate for thoracic anterior spinal tethering","volume":"9","author":"Krakow","year":"2021","journal-title":"Spine Deform"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.21037\/atm.2019.12.159","article-title":"Spinal growth tethering: indications and limits","volume":"8","author":"Newton","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann Transl Med"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2576","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11092576","article-title":"Vertebral body tethering: indications, surgical technique, and a systematic review of published results","volume":"11","author":"Raitio","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1175","DOI":"10.1007\/s43390-021-00323-5","article-title":"Comparison of clinical and functional outcomes of vertebral body tethering to posterior spinal fusion in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and evaluation of quality of life: preliminary results","volume":"9","author":"Pehlivanoglu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Spine Deform"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3161","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11113161","article-title":"Vertebral body tethering in 49 adolescent patients after peak height velocity for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis: 2-5 year follow-up","volume":"11","author":"Meyers","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ocl.2021.01.003","article-title":"Anterior vertebral body tethering for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: early results and future directions","volume":"52","author":"Baker","year":"2021","journal-title":"Orthop Clin North Am"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.5312\/wjo.v13.i5.481","article-title":"Anterior vertebral body tethering for idiopathic scoliosis in growing children: a systematic review","volume":"13","author":"Bizzoca","year":"2022","journal-title":"World J Orthop"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.5435\/JAAOS-D-19-00849","article-title":"Anterior vertebral body growth-modulation tethering in idiopathic scoliosis: surgical technique","volume":"28","author":"Parent","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Am Acad Orthop Surg"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1718","DOI":"10.2106\/JBJS.20.02071","article-title":"Rate of scoliosis correction after anterior spinal growth tethering for idiopathic scoliosis","volume":"103","author":"Takahashi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"763","DOI":"10.1007\/s43390-022-00497-6","article-title":"To tether or fuse? 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