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The development of scoliosis in animal models after inducing asymmetric rib growth suggests the possible role of asymmetric rib growth in the etiopathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Asymmetric rib length is well recognized in idiopathic scoliosis; however, whether this rib asymmetry is primary or secondary has not been clearly documented. The objectives of this study were to investigate any rib length asymmetry in patients with AIS and compare those with scoliosis with syringomyelia (SS) with the intention of elucidating any relationship between rib growth and pathogenesis of AIS. Forty-eight AIS and 29 SS with apical vertebrae located between T7 and T9 were recruited. The average age was 13.5 ± 2.3 versus 12.5 ± 3.4 years, and the average Cobb angle of thoracic curve was 43.3° ± 16.4° versus 45.6° ± 22.6° in patients with AIS or SS, respectively. The length of all ribs was measured from the tip of costal head to the end of the same rib by built-in software on spiral computed tomography. At the levels of the apical vertebrae, the vertebrae above and below the apex, the mean discrepancy in rib length (concave minus convex rib) was 7, 4 and 7 mm, respectively, in AIS group (p\0.01), and 6, 5 and 7 mm in SS group, respectively (p\0.01). The rib length discrepancy between concave and convex sides was significantly correlated with the magnitude of the Cobb angle of thoracic curve in both AIS and SS groups (p\0.01). Similar findings of the asymmetry of rib length in both AIS and SS patients pointed strongly to the fact that the rib length asymmetry in apical region is most likely secondary to the scoliosis deformity rather than playing a primary role in the etiopathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shoulder balance is one of the key components to the body deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients with double thoracic curve and shoulder cosmesis plays an important role in patients’ satisfaction of surgical outcomes. Up to now, only radiographic parameters were used to evaluate the shoulder balance in literatures; no corresponding cosmetic parameters have been developed to evaluate the cosmetic shoulder balance. Meanwhile, we often confronted that perfect radiographic shoulder balance was achieved, but the patients complained about the residual cosmetic deformity. This phenomenon implied that discrepancy may exist between radiographic shoulder balance and cosmetic shoulder balance. The present study was carried out to investigate the correlation between radiographic and clinical cosmetic shoulder balance in AIS patients with double thoracic curve. Thirty-four AIS patients were recruited for this study. All the patients had a double thoracic curve. Six cosmetic parameters––inner shoulder height (SHi), outer shoulder height (SHo), shoulder area index 1 (SAI1), shoulder area index 2 (SAI2), shoulder angle (α1) and axilla angle (α2) were developed and measured on the standing photographs. Also, seven radiographic parameters––T1 tilting (T1), first rib angle (FRA), clavicle angle (CA), coracoid process height (CPH), clavicle-rib cage intersection (CRCI), first rib–clavicle height (FRCH), trapezius length (TL) were measured on the standing posterior–anterior radiographs. Correlation analysis was made between cosmetic parameters and radiographic parameters. SHi was found to be significantly correlated with T1, FRA, CA, CPH, CRCI ( P < 0.05), among which FRA had the highest correlation coefficient. SHo was found to be significantly correlated with T1, FRA, CA, CPH, CRCI, FRCH ( P < 0.05), among which CRCI had the highest correlation coefficient. However, none of the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.8. The correlation coefficients between radiographic parameters and SAI1, SAI2, α1, α2 were also below 0.8 that were similar with SH. The results indicated that radiographic parameters could only partially reflect the shoulder cosmetic appearances. However, none of the existing parameters can accurately reflect the shoulder cosmetic appearance. As cosmesis is critical important to patients’ satisfaction, spine surgeons should pay more attention to the cosmetic shoulder balance rather than radiographic shoulder balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]