With funding for both a research assistant and a VIDAR scanner, the spine team is able to participate in several national studies. Drs. Emans and Hresko currently participate in the national Spinal Deformity Study Group and have contributed to 1) an analysis of sagittal balance in adolescent spondylolisthesis, and 2) a retrospective study of instrumentation of single idiopathic curves, which has led to a multicenter prospective surgical study of outcomes in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The team has also entered the national prospective BRAIST study, an NIH funded prospective study of the effectiveness of brace treatment of AIS.
Prospective pediatric and adolescent scoliosis study
While there have been many studies of spinal fusion for scoliosis, there has yet to be a comprehensive multicenter prospective study comparing the functional and surgical outcomes of different surgical techniques. We hope to determine which techniques are the most beneficial to scoliosis patients over a longer period of time.
For more information on this study: (pdf)
Molecular basis of human vertebral segmentation defects
Congenital scoliosis occurs in approximately 1 or 2 out of every 10,000 children born in this country. The underlying factors of congenital scoliosis are not known in the majority of cases. Genes and environmental factors are known to play a role in many birth defects, but it is not known if they play a role in congenital scoliosis. This goal of this multicenter study is to learn how genes and other factors contribute to causing vertebral segmentation defects, also called congenital scoliosis.
