Utility of Asymmetric Multilevel Pontes Osteotomy in Ankylosing Spondylitis with Scoliosis using Ultrasonic Bone Scalpel: Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Ankylosing spondylitis is a spondyloarthropathy that commonly involves the axial skeleton with predilection to the sacro-iliac joints and spine. The disease frequently results in a smooth globular kyphotic deformity of the spine; however, a coronal plane scoliotic deformity is extremely rare. We present a unique case of scoliotic deformity in a patient diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. To the best of our knowledge, following a review of the literature, this appears to be the first report of this kind.

CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old male patient presented with chronic back pain, stiffness, and a truncal shift of the body. He had a rigid left-sided thoracolumbar curve measuring 41° with a coronal imbalance of 3.6 cm. We present a case report on scoliosis deformity correction performed with a four-level asymmetric pontes osteotomy using a bone scalpel with excellent correction of the scoliotic deformity that was well maintained at 2-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Scoliosis in ankylosing spondylitis has not been documented in literature. We report the complete correction of the deformity, which is well maintained at the 2-year follow-up.