{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T07:49:02Z","timestamp":1792568942784,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,23]],"date-time":"2024-10-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1729641600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The gold standard treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is posterior spinal fusion (PSF). However, long-term consequences of PSF can include reduced spinal flexibility, back pain, and intervertebral disc degeneration. Vertebral body tethering (VBT) is a non-fusion alternative that preserves motion. We investigated the outcomes of VBT for the treatment of thoracolumbar (TL) major AIS in the largest single-surgeon series with a minimum 2-year follow-up (FU). Methods: We performed a retrospective single-center review. Inclusion criteria were AIS, Lenke 5\/6 curvature, and skeletally immature Variables were compared using Student\u2019s t-tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, Chi-square, and Fisher\u2019s exact tests. Results: A total of 37 consecutive patients, age 14.1 \u00b1 1.6 years, 86.5% F, 35.9 \u00b1 11.5-month FU, were examined. Overall, 27 patients (73%) had Lenke 5 and 10 (27%) had Lenke 6 curvatures. Instrumentation of the TL curve alone was performed in 59.5%, and thoracic (T) and TL in 40.5% of patients. Overall, 45.9% of patients had two tethers placed in the TL spine; no patients had double tethers placed at the main thoracic curves. The TL (51 \u00b1 8\u00b0 to 20 \u00b1 11\u00b0; p &lt; 0.0001) and T (37 \u00b1 13\u00b0 to 17 \u00b1 10\u00b0; p &lt; 0.0001) curvatures improved from baseline to the latest FU. Overall, 89% of patients achieved major Cobb &lt; 35\u00b0; the three patients who did not experienced at least one cord breakage or required PSF. T5-T12 kyphosis increased (p = 0.0401) and lumbar lordosis was maintained (p = 0.9236). Both the TL inclinometer (16 \u00b1 4\u00ba to 4 \u00b1 2\u00b0; p &lt; 0.0001) and T (6 \u00b1 4\u00b0 to 4 \u00b1 3\u00b0; p = 0.0036) measurements improved. There was a 49% tether breakage rate as follows: 60% for single-cord TL constructs and 35% for double cords (p = 0.0991). There was an 8.1% re-operation rate as follows: one conversion to T PSF and revision of the TL tether; one release of the T tether and revision of the TL tether; one screw revision for radiculopathy. One patient was re-admitted for poor pain control. Conclusions: Patients with TL major curvature treated with VBT experienced a high rate of clinically successful outcomes with maintenance of lumbar lordosis and relatively low complication rates at the latest FU.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13216330","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,23]],"date-time":"2024-10-23T06:00:52Z","timestamp":1729663252000},"page":"6330","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Vertebral Body Tethering for Thoracolumbar Curvatures in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes at 2\u20136-Year Follow-Up"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Lily","family":"Eaker","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY 10029, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olgerta","family":"Mucollari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY 10029, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3224-0733","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Noor","family":"Maza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY 10029, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Baron","family":"Lonner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY 10029, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1169","DOI":"10.2106\/JBJS.19.00980","article-title":"Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering for Adolescent Scoliosis with Growth Remaining: A Retrospective Review of 2 to 5-Year Postoperative Results","volume":"102","author":"Hoernschemeyer","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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