Avoidance of "Final" Surgical Fusion After Growing-Rod Treatment for Early-Onset Scoliosis

Conclusions:
Because of progressive ankylosis, avoiding final surgical fusion at skeletal maturity is a viable option for patients treated with growing rods for all diagnostic subgroups of early-onset scoliosis who have satisfactory final alignment and trunk height, a minimal gain in length at the last distraction, and no clinical or radiographic evidence of implant-related problems.

Level of Evidence:
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Source: JBJS - July 5, 2016 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Jain, A., Sponseller, P. D., Flynn, J. M., Shah, S. A., Thompson, G. H., Emans, J. B., Pawelek, J. B., Akbarnia, B. A., on behalf of the Growing Spine Study Group Tags: Pediatrics, Spine Scientific Articles Source Type: research