A new article posted in Spine compares spinal fusion and growing rods for progressive idiopathic scoliosis patients.
The researchers examined a multicenter database that included 11 growing rod patients and compared them with a second multicenter database. The patients in the second database underwent spinal fusion and were matched one-to-one with the growing rod patients. The average preoperative age was 10.1 years old for the growing rod group and 10.8 years old for the spinal fusion group.
The growing rod patients had an average 2.8 lengthenings before their final fusion. The follow-up time was similar between both groups. The researchers found:
1. The initial curve correction was significantly greater in the spinal fusion group—71 percent—compared with the growing rod group after the initial growing rod surgery—38 percent.
2. The spinal fusion patients reported better overall curve correction—63 percent compared with 44 percent—at their last follow-up.
3. The overall T1-T12 increase was 19 percent for the growing rod group and 17 percent for the spinal fusion group.
4. The complications requiring an unplanned surgery occurred in one growing rod patient and two spinal fusion patients.
5. The number of surgeries was significantly higher in the growing rod group — 54 patients — compared with the spinal fusion patients — 13 patients.
"SF patients had greater curve correction and marginally less spinal and thoracic height gain compared with GR patients," concluded the study authors. "GR patients underwent significantly more surgical procedures. These findings suggest GR treatment does not benefit older patients with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis."