Evaluating the Readability of Patient Education Materials for Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering, Distraction-Based Methods, and Posterior Spinal Fusion for the Treatment of Pediatric Spinal Deformity

The Internet is an important source of information for patients, but its effectiveness relies on the readability of its content. Patient education materials (PEMs) should be written at or below a sixth-grade reading level as outlined by agencies such as the American Medical Association. This study assessed PEMs' readability for the novel anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT), distraction-based methods, and posterior spinal fusion (PSF) in treating pediatric spinal deformity.