Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42687088›Full record

ArticleSpine deformity2026

Characterizing neurological complications following anterior-to-the-psoas vertebral body tethering in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: The role of neuromonitoring, psoas location, and screw placement.

Juan Rodriguez-Rivera, Abel De Varona-Cocero, Djani Robertson, Nicholas Vollano, Constance Maglaras, Brooke K O'Connell, Anna Shor, Aleksandar Beric, Athena Lolis, Adauri Bueno de Camargo and 3 more

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Article in Spine deformity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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13 authors.

Juan Rodriguez-RiveraDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Abel De Varona-CoceroDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Djani RobertsonDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Nicholas VollanoDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Constance MaglarasDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Brooke K O'ConnellDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Anna ShorDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Aleksandar BericDepartment of Neurology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Athena LolisDepartment of Neurology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Adauri Bueno de CamargoDepartment of Neurology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Zoran BudimlijaDepartment of Neurology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Themistocles ProtopsaltisDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
Juan C Rodriguez-OlaverriDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA. olaverri67@yahoo.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo determine whether changes in intraoperative neuromonitoring with saphenous nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) stimulation, preoperative assessment of  lumbar plexus location, and screw placement, are associated with thigh paresthesia development following an anterior-to-the-psoas (ATP) approach for vertebral body tethering (VBT) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients.

methods39 patients who underwent a thoracoabdominal ATP approach for VBT with a minimum 2-year follow-up were included. Neurologic monitoring variables, including saphenous nerve SSEPs and quadriceps motor evoked potentials (MEPs), psoas location, an indicator of lumbar plexus location, and screw placement were compared between patients with and without postoperative thigh paresthesia. Demographics and outcomes were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher's exact test as appropriate, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

results41% of patients experienced postoperative thigh paresthesia. Additionally, 10% reported transient thigh numbness. No patients developed motor deficits. Lumbar plexus position and screw distance did not significantly differ between groups, and no neuromonitoring alarms occurred during psoas retraction. Although changes in quadriceps MEPs were not statistically associated with postoperative sensory symptoms, a higher proportion of patients with paresthesia demonstrated MEP changes (50% vs 19%, p = 0.063) and decreased MEP amplitudes (31% vs 13%, p = 0.077), representing a directional difference. All sensory symptoms resolved without intervention at a mean of 5.3 ± 5.6 weeks and a median of 2.5 (IQR 1-10).

conclusionChanges in intraoperative neuromonitoring with saphenous nerve SSEP stimulation, psoas location, and screw positioning were not statistically associated with postoperative thigh paresthesia following the ATP approach for VBT in AIS patients. However, a directional difference was observed between quadriceps MEP changes and postoperative thigh paresthesia. These findings highlight the complexity of neurologic responses and support further investigation into patient-specific anatomy, surgical technique, and optimization of neuromonitoring strategies.

Indexed as

ComplicationsNeurologicNeuromonitoringPsoasScoliosisVertebral body tethering

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.