Long-Arm Splinting Versus Above-Elbow Casting for Type 1 Supracondylar Fractures of the Humerus in Children: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Type 1 supracondylar humerus (SCH) fractures tend to heal well when immobilized by above-elbow casting or long-arm splinting. There is no consensus as to whether one treatment method is more effective than the other for this injury. The purpose of this study was to compare the radiographic and functional outcomes of long-arm splinting and above-elbow casting as the definitive treatment for children with type 1 SCH fractures. The study was set up as a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Patients between three and 12 years old presenting with a type 1 SCH fracture were randomized into splint or cast groups, or an observational arm. Baumann's angle, functional assessment scores, and Flynn's criteria score were measured at initial injury and at six months post-injury. In total, 34 patients were enrolled in the study with 13 in the randomized arm and 21 in the observational arm. Due to lack of follow-up data at 6 months post-injury, five splint patients and 10 cast patients were included in the final cohort for data analysis. The average change in Baumann's angle at 6-month follow-up was 3° or less for each treatment arm. The splint group obtained excellent Flynn's criteria scores while the cast group reported good and excellent scores. Complications reported in the splint group included device breakdown, a conversion to above-arm cast, and significant itchiness. Preliminary findings suggest functional and radiological outcomes with splinting are non-inferior to casting; however, a larger sample size is required to more accurately compare the two modalities. This study was registered with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov, #NCT01912365).

Inter-rater and Intra-rater Reliability in the Radiographic Diagnosis of Growth Arrest in Paediatric Physeal Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Fractures through the physis account for 18-30% of paediatric fractures and can lead to growth arrest in 5-10% of these cases. Long-term radiographic follow-up is usually necessary to monitor for signs of growth arrest at the affected physis. Given plain radiographs of a physeal fracture obtained throughout patient follow-up, different surgeons may hold different opinions about whether or not early growth arrest has occurred despite using identical radiographs to guide decision-making. This study aims to assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of early growth arrest diagnosis among orthopaedic surgeons given a set of identical plain radiographs. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients aged 2-18 years previously treated for a physeal fracture at a paediatric tertiary care hospital between 2011 and 2018. De-identified anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs of 39 patients from the date of injury and minimum one-year post-injury were administered in a survey to international paediatric orthopaedic surgeons. Each surgeon was asked whether they would diagnose the patient with growth arrest based on the radiographs provided. Surgeons were asked to complete this process again two weeks after the initial review, but using identical shuffled radiographs. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was calculated using appropriate kappa statistics. RESULTS: A total of 11 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons completed the first round of the survey, and 9 of these 11 completed the second round. The inter-rater reliability for the first round was 0.22 [95% CI (0.06, 0.35)] and 0.21 [95% CI (0.02, 0.32)] for the second round. The average kappa for intra-rater reliability was - 0.05 [95% CI (- 0.31, 0.21)]. Comparison by injury side showed no significant variation in diagnosis {p = 0.509, OR = 0.90, [95% CI (0.67, 1.22)]}, while comparison by location of injury varied significantly (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic diagnosis of growth arrest among paediatric orthopaedic surgeons demonstrated 'fair' inter-rater agreement and no intra-rater agreement, suggesting critical differences in identifying growth arrest on plain radiographs. Further research is necessary to develop an improved diagnostic approach for growth arrest among orthopaedic surgeons. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic level III.

Asymmetric Unilateral Vestibular Perception in Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis.

The cause of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) remains unclear, but one proposed cause of AIS is asymmetric vestibular function and the related descending drive to the spine musculature. The objective of this study was to determine if asymmetric vestibular function is present in individuals with AIS. Ten individuals with AIS (8F, 2M) and 10 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were exposed to 10s-long virtual rotations induced by monaural or binaural electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS), and 10s-long real rotations delivered by a rotating chair. Using a forced-choice paradigm, participants indicated their perceived rotation direction (right or left) to stimuli of varying intensity. A Bayesian adaptive algorithm adjusted the stimulus intensity and direction to identify a stimulus level, which we called the direction recognition threshold, at which participants correctly identified the rotation direction 69% of the time. For unilateral vestibular stimuli (monaural EVS), the direction recognition thresholds were more asymmetric in all participants with AIS compared to control participants [(0.22-1.00 mA) vs. (0.01-0.21 mA); p < 0.001]. For bilateral vestibular stimuli, however, the direction recognition thresholds did not differ between groups for either the real or virtual rotations (multiple p > 0.05). Previous reports of semicircular canal orientation asymmetry in individuals with AIS could not explain the magnitude of the vestibular function asymmetry we observed, suggesting a functional cause to the observed vestibular asymmetry. Thus, the present results suggest that a unilateral vestibular dysfunction is linked to AIS, potentially revealing a new path for the screening and monitoring of scoliosis in adolescents.

Vertebral Fractures in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Patients Managed With Deflazacort.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids are widely used in the management of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). They improve quality of life in these patients by prolonging ambulation and preserving cardiorespiratory status. However, corticosteroid treatment is associated with a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) and an increased risk of vertebral fractures (VF). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of VF in patients with DMD undergoing long-term treatment with the corticosteroid deflazacort. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 49 male patients with DMD on long-term deflazacort therapy at a single institution. All patients had received deflazacort for at least 2 years. VF prevalence, age at start of deflazacort treatment, duration of treatment, BMD Z-score and patient ambulatory status at the time of fracture were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 49 patients on long-term deflazacort treatment, 26 had VF. Out of these patients who had VF, 19% showed evidence of VF in their third year of therapy, 50% within 5 years of starting therapy, 69% within 7 years of starting therapy, and 100% within 9 years. The first evidence of VF was observed at mean BMD Z-score, lumbar (L)=-2.2 and whole body (B)=-3.1. Eighty-five percent of these patients had at least 3 collapsed vertebrae. Mean BMD Z-score at the time of or before when multiple fractures were noted was -2.4 (L) and -3.4 (B). Patients who started deflazacort at age 3 to 5, 5 to 7 or 7 to 9 years developed a VF after a mean of 4.7, 5.4, or 5.7 years, respectively. Sixty-two percent of patients had VF by the age of 12 years and 91% of patients by age of 15 years. Twenty-one of 26 patients were ambulatory at the time of VF. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that there is a high risk of VF associated with length of deflazacort use in DMD patients, regardless of age at start of therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective therapeutic study.

Nonoperative Treatment of Type IIA Supracondylar Humerus Fractures: Comparing 2 Modalities.

BACKGROUND: Although the recommended treatment for Gartland types I and III supracondylar humeral fractures is well-established, the optimal treatment for type II fractures without rotational malalignment remains controversial, involving circumferential casting or closed reduction and pinning. Our institution uses pronated flexion-taping for Gartland type IIA fractures. This theoretically removes external pressure secondary to circumferential casting, potentially decreasing risks of compartment syndrome and mitigating loss of reduction with extension while maintaining optimal flexion position for reduction. To our knowledge, these modalities have not yet been compared. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to compare flexion-taping with cuff-and-collar immobilization versus traditional above-elbow casting at 90 to 100 degrees. It was hypothesized that closed reduction and flexion-taping of type IIA supracondylar fractures under sedation in the emergency department would result in comparable, if not superior, maintenance of reduction measured radiographically using Baumann angle and the lateral humeral capitellar angle (LHCA). Charts from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed for all patients between 2 and 8 years of age with type IIA fractures treated with cast or taping. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were included with 16 in the cast group and 23 in the tape group. Mean age was 4.08±1.72 years across both groups. No significant change in either measure was seen at termination of immobilization (3 to 4 wk postreduction). Final lateral humeral capitellar angle in the taping group was 32.14±5.90 degrees compared with 28.23±7.27 degrees in the casting group (P=0.81). Final Baumann angle was 73.41±4.03 degrees in the taping group compared with 73.75±6.46 degrees (P=0.96). The only complication was a self-limiting rash experienced by 1 patient in the taping group. CONCLUSIONS: Both techniques were able to achieve and maintain adequate reduction in all cases with no significant difference in outcome measures. There were no major complications or conversions to surgical treatment. In this cohort, taping resulted in adequate reduction and safe immobilization for type IIA fractures comparable to cast immobilization. Further research will investigate clinical/radiographic outcomes on these patients to assess remodeling and function. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Internet-administered Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaires Compared With Pen and Paper in an Adolescent Scoliosis Population: A Randomized Crossover Study.

BACKGROUND: Modern technology puts into question the effectiveness of using pen and paper as a means of collecting information from web-enabled patients. This study aimed to validate and test the reliability of using the Internet as a method of administering health-related quality of life questionnaires in a pediatric spine population. METHODS: A prospective randomized crossover study was conducted. Patients aged 11 to 18 with idiopathic scoliosis were invited to participate, and informed consent was obtained from a scoliosis outpatient clinic setting. Participants were randomized to one of 4 groups determining the method of questionnaire administration [Scoliosis Research Society 30 (SRS-30) and Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI)]. Both questionnaires were completed at 2 separate timepoints and 2 weeks apart to prevent recall bias. Groups included: Paper/Paper, Paper/Internet, Internet/Paper, and Internet/Internet. Paired-samples t tests were used to determine the test-retest reliability of each group. Analysis was stratified for surveys returned within or outside of the allotted 4-week timeframe following enrollment. RESULTS: Of the 96 participants who completed and returned both sets of questionnaires, 26 were allocated to the Paper/Paper group (27%), 20 to the Paper/Internet group (21%), 26 to the Internet/Paper group (27%), and 24 to the Internet/Internet group (25%). The second iteration of questionnaires was returned on time by 69 of the participants (71.2%). Of the late questionnaires, 18 (67%) were paper forms. Overall, no differences were observed between Internet-administered compared with pen and paper-administered questionnaires (P=0.206). No differences were observed within any group individually for either the SRS-30 or PODCI questionnaire. In addition, no significant differences were observed within groups for surveys returned within or outside of the 4-week timeframe. Eighty-four percent of the participants who completed both paper and Internet versions of the questionnaires reported a preference of the Internet. CONCLUSION: Internet administration of both the SRS-30 and PODCI questionnaires is a valid and reliable method of acquiring health-related quality of life information in this population LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level II-therapeutic study.

Triplane Fracture of the Proximal Tibia: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: The triplane fracture, a unique transitional physeal injury, is classically described in the distal tibia. A small number of additional anatomic locations are documented in the orthopaedic literature. METHODS: Available literature surrounding triplane fractures was reviewed. We describe a rare case of a proximal tibial triplane fracture in a thirteen-year-old girl, suffered during a skiing accident. RESULTS: Using arthroscopically assisted percutaneous reduction techniques an anatomic reduction was achieved. CONCLUSION: We outline the surgical and postoperative techniques for management of this unique injury.

Impact of Surgical Waiting-List Times on Scoliosis Surgery: The Surgeon's Perspective.

STUDY DESIGN: Survey. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgeon's perspective on the potential impact of prolonged surgical waitlists on the surgical care and perioperative management of patients with scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The long waits for surgical treatment of scoliosis found in some countries may have serious implications for the complexity of surgery and perioperative care required if the curve progresses while waiting. The surgeon's perspective on this problem provides important information that needs to be taken into account during resource allocation. METHODS: Radiographs from 13 patients who had waited more than 6 months for scoliosis surgery were selected. Each patient had radiographs from the time of surgical booking and immediately preoperatively. The radiographs and a questionnaire were sent to 3 surgeons to canvass their surgical and postoperative plan. The surgeons were blinded to the fact that the radiographs were of the same patients at 2 time points. The patients' actual course of treatment was documented. RESULTS: Data for 11 patients were available for analysis. The average wait for surgery was 24 months (range, 17-30 mo). The mean curve progression was 25.3° while on the waitlist, from an average of 52° to 77°. By the time the patients had to undergo surgery, more anterior releases were added to posterior instrumentation alone in the surgical plan. Mean estimated operative time increased by 2.2 hours, mean estimated length of hospital stay increased by 1 day, and the estimated level of difficulty of surgery increased 2.33 grades. The predicted estimated blood loss also increased. CONCLUSION: From the surgeon's perspective, lengthy waitlists have a significant negative impact on the perioperative and postoperative care of patients with scoliosis by increasing the complexity of surgery. The actual course of treatment corresponded to the responses from these different surgeons. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

Is larger scoliosis curve magnitude associated with increased perioperative health-care resource utilization?: a multicenter analysis of 325 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with large adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves has been associated with increased surgical complexity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether surgical correction of larger adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves increased the utilization of health-care resources and to identify potential predictors associated with increased perioperative health-care resource utilization. METHODS: A nested cohort of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with Lenke type 1A and 1B curves were identified from a prospective longitudinal multicenter database. Four perioperative outcomes were selected as the primary health-care resource utilization outcomes of interest: operative time, number of vertebral levels instrumented, duration of hospitalization, and allogeneic blood transfusion. The effect of curve magnitude on these outcomes was assessed with use of univariate and multivariate regression. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-five patients with a mean age of 15 ± 2 years were included. The mean main thoracic curve was 54.4° ± 7.8°. Larger curves were associated with longer operative time (p = 0.03), a greater number of vertebral levels instrumented (p = 0.0005), and the need for blood transfusion (with every 10° increase associated with 1.5 times higher odds of receiving a transfusion). In addition to curve magnitude, surgical center, bone graft method, and upper and lower instrumented levels were strong predictors of operative time (R2 = 0.76). The duration of hospitalization was influenced by the surgical center and intraoperative blood loss (R2 < 0.4), whereas the number of levels instrumented was influenced by the curve magnitude, curve correction percentage, upper instrumented vertebra, and surgical center (R2 = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS: Correction of larger curves was associated with increased utilization of perioperative health-care resources, specifically longer operative time, a greater number of vertebral levels instrumented, and higher odds of receiving a blood transfusion.

Recurrent viral-induced compartment syndrome.

UNLABELLED: Rhabdomyolysis and compartment syndrome are rare but a limb-threatening complication of viral myositis. Because of the potential for severe consequences of compartment syndrome, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion when examining children with rhabdomyolysis due to viral myositis. We report a case of recurrent bilateral thigh compartment syndrome in a patient with influenza A, subtype pandemic H1N1-2009. CASE: An 8-year-old girl with a history of rhabdomyolysis, acute renal failure, and compartment syndrome secondary to parainfluenza infection that resulted in release of her lower limb compartments presented with a 3-day history of flu symptoms and increasing bilateral thigh pain. Compartment syndrome was confirmed by intracompartmental pressure measurements and comparison of intracompartmental pressure measurements to diastolic blood pressure. The compartments were released. She also experienced acute renal failure, which was treated by continuous renal replacement therapy and hemodialysis. At her most recent orthopedic follow-up, she was doing well. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of recurrent rhabdomyolysis and compartment syndrome as a complication of viral myositis. This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for compartment syndrome in the child with viral myositis.

Publication of abstracts submitted to the annual meeting of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America: is there a difference between accepted versus rejected abstracts?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine publication rates of all abstracts submitted for presentation at the annual conference of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) comparing papers accepted for presentation with those that were not accepted and to determine the median times to publication and the mean impact factor of journals that published papers from the 2 groups. METHODS: The titles and authors of all abstracts submitted for presentation to the POSNA for the years 2003 to 2005 were identified. To determine publication status, we conducted a computerized Pubmed search using the first author's name. If multiple publications were identified, the Boolean search operator AND was used to combine author names with key words. The title of each located published article was compared with the title of the abstract. If differences were noted, the abstract content was compared with the final publication. The journals, impact factor was determined using the journal citation report. The median time from conference presentation to publication was determined using a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: Of 1191 abstracts submitted to the annual meetings of POSNA from the years 2003 through 2005, 440 (37%) were accepted for presentation. Acceptance of submitted abstracts increased from 30% in 2003 to 40% in 2005. Of the 1191 abstracts 599 (50%) were subsequently published by August 2009. The mean publication rate for abstracts accepted for presentation was 58.9% (259 of 440) compared with 45% (339 of 751) for rejected abstracts. The median time to publication of accepted abstracts was not significantly different when compared with that of rejected abstracts. The mean journal impact factor for accepted articles was 2.2 compared with 1.5 for rejected abstracts. CONCLUSIONS: The publication rates of abstracts submitted to POSNA is high compared with those of other international orthopaedic associations. The mean publication rate for accepted abstracts and rejected abstracts has increased substantially from 45% and 38% in 1991 to 1994 to 58.9% and 45% in 2003 to 2005, respectively. The journal in which most of the abstracts are ultimately published is the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics[corrected]. SIGNIFICANCE: A significant proportion of abstracts not accepted for presentation at POSNA meetings are published in peer-reviewed journals. Nonacceptance of a study for presentation should not be a hindering factor for researchers in attempting to publish their study in peer-reviewed journals. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not applicable.

Segond fractures: not necessarily pathognemonic of anterior cruciate ligament injury in the pediatric population.

Initially described following cadaveric studies in the late 19th century by Dr. Paul Segond, the Segond fracture is now widely accepted as a pathognemonic radiographic marker of anterior cruciate ligament injury. This fracture in a skeletally immature 16-year-old was not seen with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but with a Salter-Harris type IV fracture of the tibial plateau. A nonweightbearing knee immobilizer with the leg in full extension was used for 6 weeks. Recovery was uncomplicated, and range of motion and weightbearing began at 6 weeks.

Minimizing tourniquet pressure in pediatric anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery: a blinded, prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Tourniquet cuff pressures in pediatric patients are commonly set at standard pressures. Recent evidence on adult subjects has shown that safer and more effective cuff pressures can be achieved by measuring limb occlusion pressure (LOP) and using a wide contour cuff. There is little evidence validating these techniques in children. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate if a difference in tourniquet cuff pressure can be achieved in a pediatric population using a wide contour cuff in conjunction with measured LOP when compared with a standard cuff and pressure. METHODS: Subjects aged 10 to 17 years that underwent anterior cruciate ligament repair were included and randomized into either the control group or the experimental LOP group using variable block randomization. The tourniquet cuff was inflated to 300 mm Hg in the control group or to the recommended tourniquet pressure based on LOP measurement in the LOP group. The surgeon was blinded to cuff selection, application, and pressure throughout the surgical procedure. Immediately after the surgical procedure, the surgeon rated the quality of the bloodless field on a visual analog scale. This study was powered as an effectiveness trial, and intention to treat analysis was used. RESULTS: After a planned interim analysis at midpoint, complete data were recorded for 11 (control group) and 10 (LOP group) patients. The quality of the surgical field was not different between the groups (P = 0.053). There was a statistically significant difference in the mean cuff pressure between the control (300 mm Hg) and the LOP (151 mm Hg) groups (P < 0.001). We ran the same analysis comparing the LOP data with the hypothetical control data of 250 mm Hg, and our results remained statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of an automatic LOP measurement with the use of wide contour cuffs can significantly reduce mean tourniquet cuff pressures in pediatric patients compared with the typical practice of 300 or 250 mm Hg without compromising the quality of the surgical field. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1, prospective randomized controlled trial.

The use of CT in the development and implementation of a preoperative protocol to aid in pedicle screw placement during scoliosis surgery.

Scoliosis surgical constructs, using pedicle screws, provide increased fixed penetrable points for rod attachment. This allows improved curve correction and increases hardware stability. We have implemented a multidetector CT evaluation of the spine with post-process image manipulation to aid pedicle screw placement for deformity correction. Preoperative scanning was done with a Philips Brilliance 16 multislice CT scanner. The created image dataset provided valuable preoperative information regarding pedicle morphology, suitability for screw placement and preoperative screw planning. Projected intraoperatively, the images increased the surgeon's confidence during screw placement, especially in large deformities with severe rotation. Improving pre- and intraoperative pedicle information is a valuable tool in operative management of children with spinal deformity.

The International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Evaluation Form in a preadolescent population: pilot normative data.

BACKGROUND: The International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form is a knee-specific instrument composed of 18 questions. It is commonly used in adult and pediatric studies as a surgical outcome measure. Normative data exist for an adult population, but there have been no published normative results for younger subjects. PURPOSE: To compile and report pilot normative International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form scores in a preadolescent population. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form was administered to 146 seventh-grade students (aged 12-14 years) at 2 local schools. The form was administered in its original format. Demographic and descriptive results were compiled. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five completed responses were eligible for analysis. The mean age was 13.2 years (SD, 0.5; range, 12.2-14.2 years); 15% of participants had a history of knee injury or pain. The mean International Knee Documentation Committee score for all respondents was 89.4 (SD, 10.5; 95% confidence interval, 87.6-91.3; range, 52-100). CONCLUSION: This study provides pilot normative data for mean International Knee Documentation Committee scores in a preadolescent population. The mean score in this younger cohort is consistent with normative data of adults age 35 years or younger. Although the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form is often used in adolescent surgical studies, its validity in these populations remains to be established. Further work to establish the psychometric properties of the current form in younger age groups would be of significant benefit to clinicians.

Outcome analysis of chance fractures of the skeletally immature spine.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational. OBJECTIVE: The authors present a detailed description of 25 skeletally immature patients with Chance fractures with a mean follow-up of 6.4 years. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Since the legislation mandating seat belt usage in Canada was first introduced, the fatality rate of automobile collisions has decreased significantly. However, seat belts do not result in the complete elimination of injury. Fractures of the lumbar spine due to seat belts are well recognized in adolescents and adults but there are few reports in young children. METHODS: Radiographic images and patient records were analyzed for information on patient demographics and injury details. RESULTS: Treatment involved either posterior instrumentation (n = 16) or a conservative approach using casting or bracing (n = 9). Concomitant injuries were documented. A deformity index was developed as a simple value to take into account the severity of both anterior loss of vertebral height and posterior distraction. CONCLUSION: The deformity index was significantly higher in patients with a concomitants abdominal injury and significantly higher in patients managed operatively. Functional outcome scores were completed on 14 of the patients. Patients scored within the reported norms on the SF-36 version 2 but scored poorly on the pain and disability component of the AAOS lumbar specific questionnaire. These outcomes indicate a need for using an injury specific score to accurately quantify disability.

Evidence-based medicine analysis of all pedicle screw constructs in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: : Focus paper. OBJECTIVE: : To evaluate the current evidence-based medicine (EBM) literature in the use of pedicle screw constructs in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND: : EBM has evolved over the past 20 years to provide a framework for the evaluation of therapy and the application of that assessment to a particular patient or a disease. Application of EBM analysis to spinal instrumentation, and specifically to pedicle screw constructs, is challenging. METHODS: : Cochrane database, Ovid Medline, and PubMed were searched using the terms "pedicle screws" and "adolescent idiopathic scoliosis." The reference list of the major papers by authors Lenke, Suk, and Kim were hand searched. Relevant articles were retained if they described a pedicle screw construct to correct AIS or compared pedicle screw constructs with another technique. Articles that did not have patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in their subject groups or did not use pedicle screws as a part of their deformity correction were excluded from the study. RESULTS: : Based on the search strategy described above, 40 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for review in this manuscript. Of these, 32 studies are retrospective reviews including 2 studies that do not define their data collection technique. Six studies have a prospective study design, 1 is a case report, and 1 is a cadaveric study. CONCLUSION: : In the absence of evidence from randomized trials, surgeons must rely on the best available information to guide patient management decisions. Although there have been many publications on the topic of all pedicle screw constructs in AIS, evidence regarding the advantage of all pedicle screw constructs remain limited to case series, biomechanical studies, and expert opinions.