2021 Volume 12 Issue 11 Pages 1311-1318
Introduction: The Growth process after growth-friendly surgery for early onset scoliosis (EOS) has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the growth process of EOS patients who underwent the traditional Growing-rod (TGR) procedure from initial placement to 2 years after final fusion.
Methods: To evaluate the growth process in 10 EOS patients who underwent the TGR procedure, physical and radiographic changes were measured from initial placement to 2 years after final fusion, and surgery-related complications during the course of the treatment were investigated.
Results: On average, the Cobb angle improved by 39° at initial placement, progressed by 4° during the growth sparing surgery period, improved by 16° at final fusion, and progressed by 3° 2 years after final fusion. Spinal height increased significantly at initial placement and during the growth-sparing surgery period, with little change at final fusion or at 2 years after final fusion. Surgery-related complications were observed in 40% of the patients.
Conclusions: In growth-sparing surgery for EOS, initial placement was shown to have the greatest contribution to the correction of the main Cobb angle and gain in spinal height during the entire treatment process.
