Back Pain and Quality of Life 10 Years After Segmental Pedicle Screw Instrumentation for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Abstract

Study Design. Comparative cohort study. Objective. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in surgically managed patients with a minimum follow-up of 10 years compared with patients with untreated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and a healthy control group. Summary of Background Data. Posterior spinal fusion with pedicle screws is the standard treatment for AIS, although it remains unclear whether this procedure results in improved long-term HRQoL compared with untreated patients with AIS. Patients and Methods. Sixty-four consecutive patients at a minimum follow-up of 10 years, who underwent posterior pedicle screw instrumentation for AIS were prospectively enrolled. Fifty-three (83%) of these patients completed Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) 24 questionnaires, clinical examination, and standing spinal radiographs. Pain and HRQoL were compared with age and sex-matched patients with untreated AIS and healthy individuals. Results. The mean major curve was 57° preoperatively and 15° at the 10-year follow-up. SRS-24 self-image domain score showed a significant improvement from preoperative to 2 years and remained significantly better at the 10-year follow-up (P < 0.001). Patients fused to L3 or below had lower pain, satisfaction, and total score than patients fused to L2 or above (P < 0.05), but self-image, function, and activity scores did not differ between groups at 10-year follow-up. Pain, self-image, general activity, and total SRS domains were significantly better at 10-year follow-up in the surgically treated patients as compared with untreated patients (all P < 0.05). Healthy controls had significantly higher total scores than those surgically treated at 10-year follow-ups (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Patients undergoing segmental pedicle screw instrumentation for AIS maintain high-level HRQoL during a 10-year follow-up. Their HRQoL was significantly better than in the untreated patients with AIS, except for the function domain. However, HRQoL remained at a lower level than in healthy controls.