Growth-friendly surgeries for severe scoliosis among kids may result in more complications and unplanned subsequent surgeries than single spinal fusion as per a study at the University of Michigan.
Early-onset scoliosis is one of the potentially deadly curves in the spine that can damage a child’s heart and lung function as it progresses. Traditionally the adolescents with scoliosis are treated with a single spinal fusion, where rods and screws are inserted to fuse the spine in a straighter position.
‘Growth-friendly surgeries for severe neuromuscular scoliosis among preadolescent children may result in more complications and unplanned subsequent surgeries than single spinal fusion.
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However, in younger children, the growing spines are treated with “growth-friendly” surgery, where expandable rods (typically removed for a spinal fusion later) are placed in the spine to grow along with the child.
“For someone who may not understand the implications, 11 years old may still be considered small and young, so they may think it’s a no-brainer to insert the expandable rods. However, the rods are associated with a lot of complications. Some types of rods need to be expanded surgically every six months, which brings repeated exposures to anesthesia and more infections from going through the same scar. Even the newer magnetic rods that can be expanded non-surgically have been found to have complications associated with the rods themselves. There are far fewer complications with a single spinal fusion,” says G. Ying Li, M.D., service chief of pediatric orthopedics at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
These data may help the parents of young children to make more informed decisions about treatment plans for severe scoliosis.
Source: Medindia
