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    Interventional procedure overview of vertebral body tethering for idiopathic scoliosis in children and young people

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    Validity and generalisability of the studies

    • Where reported, studies were conducted in Canada (n=3), Turkey (n=2) and US (n=4); no data related to the UK context.

    • All studies were analytical or descriptive studies.

    • Shin (2021) included patients in Pehlivanoglu (2020) and Samdani (2021), but the total sample of 1,875 patients was derived from removing duplications.

    • Most studies had a mean follow up of 2 to 3 years, so there is a need for long-term outcomes.

    • There was variation in patient inclusion criteria and procedure technique.

    • Most studies did not identify the specific devices used.

    • Length of hospital stay varied across the studies and might be affected by procedure techniques, learning curve and social issues (such as long distance travelled by families). Other outcomes might also be affected by learning curve.

    • Evidence on the efficacy of the procedure focused primarily on improving scoliotic curve. No evidence was found for gait analysis and there was limited evidence on other key outcomes, such as range of motion, pulmonary function and quality of life.