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How is scoliosis treated with anterior spinal fusion?
Anterior spinal fusion used to be popular for treating of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Disks were removed to increase flexibility and instrumented fusion was applied after correction in this open surgical technique. Today, posterior instrumented fusion is favored.
Yet, anterior surgery is gaining popularity again with a new technique called anterior tethering that can be applied thoracoscopically with video assistance.
Open anterior spinal surgery can still be used for severe and rigid curves to gain some flexibility and achieve better corrections. However, today, osteotomy procedures with posterior approach are generally applied for rigid and severe curves.