The impact on scoliosis development and the need for bracing after posterior fossa decompression for Chiari Malformation type I and de-tethering for tethered cord syndrome: a retrospective study of 171 patients.

Authors

Maritha Kumlin, Ludvig Van Ingen, Anastasios Charalampidis, Ulrika Sandvik, Elias Diarbakerli

Published in

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society. Oct 20, 2026. Epub Oct 20, 2026.

Abstract

Scoliosis is frequently associated with CM1 and TCS, but its course following neurosurgical treatment remains incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to describe scoliosis development following posterior fossa decompression for CM1 or de-tethering for TCS. A secondary aim was to describe postoperative brace treatment and its association with scoliosis progression.
This was a retrospective study including children operated consecutively from the age of one to eighteen years for CM1 or TCS. We included patients with and without preoperative scoliosis who had a last follow-up from five years of age at earliest. Scoliosis patients were categorized based on type of scoliosis and braced patients were analysed based on compliance.
We identified 293 patients and 171 (58%) were included. The cohort consisted of 100 females (58%) and the mean (SD) age at neurosurgery was 9.1 (4.3) years. There were 73 out of 171 (43%) who were operated for CM1 and 98 (57%) had been operated for TCS. The mean age at last follow-up was 12.4 (4.2) years and the median (25th, 75th percentile) follow-up was at 31 (14, 54) months. Scoliosis progression was seen in 21 (37%) patients. De novo scoliosis was seen in 5 (4%) patients. Patients compliant with postoperative bracing progressed less frequently than non-compliant patients (p = 0.025).
Scoliosis progression remains common following neurosurgery. Continued scoliosis surveillance is warranted, while postoperative bracing requires further prospective evaluation.

PMID:
42900388
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 21 Oct 2026.

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