Researchers took axial CT images from 20 patients with complete proximal thoracic curve, 22 patients with fractional proximal thoracic curve and 14 normal patients to evaluate the changed relative positions of esophagus in proximal thoracic curves of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.

Key findings include:

•    Esophagus-vertebral angle was significantly smaller than that in the  normal group
•    EVA in the complete proximal thoracic group was significantly greater than in the normal group at each level.
•    The esophagus was at a high risk of injury with right anterior penetrated TPS in the CPT group.
•    Spine surgeons should choose appropriate pedicle screw length to avoid anterior cortical perforation in the PT region of AIS patients.

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