Adult Deformity Committee Update

Michael O. LaGrone, MD
Adult Deformity Committee Chair

The Adult Deformity Committee is involved in a variety of important projects. We have ongoing projects from previous years as well as two new projects.

First, a brief listing of our committee’s recently completed tasks (no further action planned):

• “Results of 2014 Scoliosis Research Society Surgeon Survey on Adult Spinal Deformity Cost and Sustainability”. Project lead by Lloyd Hey. Manuscript submitted to “Spine”.
• Adult Deformity Review Paper submitted to “Spine Deformity”.
• PJK/PJF: Two papers (survey and review) published in “Spine”.
• 1 vs. 2-surgeon project: survey done, review completed and manuscript submitted to “Spine”.

Ongoing Projects

Sagittal Balance Pamphlet:
A rough draft has been sent to the Education Committee for synthesis. The Adult Deformity Committee will then review it before sending it to the Presidential Line and Board of Directors for final approval.

Shared Decision Making:
The goal is to produce a consensus document/template for surgeons to use when counseling patients about the risk/benefits of adult deformity surgery. What initially seemed like a fairly straight-forward process, has become much more complex and interesting as we learn more about risk stratification, shared decision-making and informed consent. Although related, shared decision-making and informed consent are not the same. With risk stratification (through consensus and various databases), shared decision making will lead to better informed consent.

New Projects

Cervical Spine:
We are reviewing adult cervical deformity and the role of the cervical spine in adult spinal deformity with the goal of providing a reference for surgeons regarding current concepts and controversies.

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
Our goal is to develop a review paper on the role of MIS in adult deformity surgery based on literature review and consensus opinion. SRS members should have received a survey, which was sent out to gauge the prevalence of MIS use in adult deformity surgery.

These are all exciting and very important projects that we hope will provide useful information to our adult deformity surgeons. Our ultimate goal is to increase patient safety and improve outcomes in a cost effective manner with full patient participation in the decision making process.

Chair: Michael O. LaGrone, MD Committee: Michael D. Daubs, MD; Kenneth J. Paonessa, MD; Rodrigo A. Amaral, MD; Samuel S. Bederman, MD, PhD, FRCSC; Jung-Hee Lee, MD, PhD; Gabriel K.P. Liu, FRCS(Orth), MSC; Nasir Ali Quraishi, FRCS; Jonathan N. Sembrano, MD; Khalid M.S. Swailem, MD; Shu-Hua Yang, MD, PhD; Ram Mudiyam, MD, MBA; Yutaka Sasao, MD, PhD; Evalina L. Burger, MD; Gregory M. Mundis, MD; Neel Anand, MD; Stephen J. Lewis, MD, MSc, FRCSC