Guest guest Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 wow celia, i hadn't seen this paper. it's just awful. deshea On May 7, 2004, at 8:54 PM, celia_vogel wrote: > Here is an article that may turn your stomach. The conclusion > states that this is a REASONABLE TREATMENT for dealing with severe > infantile scoliosis. I feel so sad for these children. > > > > > > > Severe Infantile Scoliosis Treated with Repetitive Distractions > Followed by Definitive Arthrodesis > Alberto Tello, M.D. > Associate Professor of Pediatric Orthopedics > University of Buenos Aires > > Ernesto Bersusky, M.D. > Hospital de Pediatría Garrahan > Buenos Aires, Argentina > > Alejandra Francheri, M.D. > Hospital de Pediatría Garrahan > Buenos Aires, Argentina > > et al > > > > > > The purpose was to evaluate patients with severe infantile scoliosis > treated in their childhood with repetitive distractions and followed > at a later age by definitive spinal fusion. > > Fifty-six patients with severe scoliosis were treated with repetitive > distractions and 38 of them had reached the age for performing > definitive correction and fusion. > > Twenty males and 18 females presented different etiologies: 12 > congenital, 8 neuromuscular, 3 neurofibromatosis, 2 idiopathic and 13 > miscellaneous. > > The average age when starting the program of consecutive distractions > was 7+6 and at the time of performing the posterior fusion was 13+4. > All these patients were treated with Harrington rods for the > repetitive distraction program. There were a mean of 3,7 distractions > for patient with a mean break of 1+1 between them. During definitive > correction in 13 of them anterior fusion was performed as well. In > all of them posterior instrumented fusion with different implants > along the time were performed. The follow-up of the definitive > correction was 2+6. In scoliosis the mean angular value (MAV) preop > was 78º, previous to the final arthrodesis was 75º and after final > correction was 54º. In thoracic kyphosis the MAV was 51º, 43º and 45º > respectively while considering lumbar lordosis the MAV was 32º, 23º > and 30º also respectively. > > Complications in the period of distractions were: 21 infections, 13 > broken rods, 19 dislodgement of the hooks and 8 cases of supra- > arthrodesis kyphosis. Complications regarding the final correction > and fusion were: 4 infections, 2 kyphosis above and 1 below the fused > area, 1 seudoarthrosis and 1 incomplete paraplegia that resolved when > the implants were removed. We observed only one case of crankshaft > phenomenon. > > The treatment of severe infantile scoliosis has several problems. > Early spine fusion promotes a short trunk and a poor correction. > Repetitive distractions with minimal fusion around the hooks has a > great morbidity, but we achieved a reasonable delay in the > progression of the curves. Most of the curves have improved > initially, afterwards maintained their angular values and the final > correction showed stiffness of the curves. This program is a > reasonable treatment for dealing with very severe infantile scoliosis > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 , Yes, they are one in the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 - Hi, Is the Harrington rod similar to the growth rod? S. -- In infantile scoliosis treatment , HRHandCO@a... wrote: > Celia, > Is there any way that you could forward that article to the rest of the > infants/children scoliosis groups that you know of, out there? > Maybe it will open some eyes. > > Thanks Celia, > > HRH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Actually, from what Nates ortho explained. The growth rod actually extends as the child grows and the Harrington is just a steady length. I may have interpreted it wrong, but thats the way he explained it. With the Harrington its just one surgery, and the growth rods are reopened and extended periodically. Sounds like sooo much fun huh? YUCK!! > > > , > Yes, they are one in the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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