Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis

A compative study between Harrington instrumentation (H. I) and Harrington segmental spinal instrumentaion (H. S. S. I.)

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed the records of posterior arthrodesis for idiopathic scoliosis. Thirty patients had one stage posterior spinal arthr-odesis between 1971 and 1988 using one of types of instrumentation; a Harrington distraction rod, Harrington distraction and compression rods, Harrington distraction and compression rods with a device for transverse traction and a Harrington distraction rod with sublaminar wires.
H. S. S. I. provides usefulness for rigid fixation and correction of scoliotic deformities compared with the conventional H. I..
But no significant difference was found among another three groups.
The use of a straight Harrington rod reduced normal thoracic Kyphosis, but the use of bending Harrington rod and S. S. I corrected thoracic hypoky-phosis.