A new study published in Spine examines the clinical outcomes after spine instrumentation and fusion using three different bone grafts for children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
The researchers examined data from the Spinal Deformity Study Group database. There was a minimum of two-year follow-up for the patients, who were between 10 years old and 18 years old. There were 461 patients included in the study.
There were 152 patients who had autogenous iliac crest bone graft and 199 patients with allograft; there were 110 patients with bone substitute.
Here are five key notes:
1. The bone substitute patients had significantly smaller postoperative curves and shorter operative times.
2. The bone substitute patients had significantly longer hospital stays and used higher qualitative of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia and used epidurals longer.
3. The patients who had autogenous iliac crest bone graft used patient-controlled intravenous analgesia significantly longer.
4. There wasn't any difference between the groups for curve type, number of levels fused, postoperative infections, pseudarthrosis, reoperations and Scoliosis Research Society-30 scores at the latest follow-up.
5. The researchers concluded, "Outcomes after primary posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation are not influenced by type of bone graft or substitute."