Joshua E. Hyman

Coronal and sagittal plane correction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis : A comparison between all pedicle screw versus hybrid thoracic hook lumbar screw constructs

Study Design. This was a retrospective cohort study using a previously matched convenience sample of 34 patients. Objective. This study sought to determine the relative corrective benefits of these 2 types of constructs in the correction of coronal and sagittal curves in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). In addition, the 2 constructs were compared for coronal and sagittal balance. Summary of Background Information. Recent clinical research suggests that thoracic pedicle screw constructs (all-screw constructs) are more effective than hybrid lumbar screw thoracic hook constructs (hybrid constructs) in correcting spine deformity. Methods. The sample consisted of patients with AIS who underwent isolated posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation. Seventeen patients underwent fusion using all-screw constructs, and 17 underwent fusion with hybrid constructs; preoperative and postoperative radiographs and measurements were compared. Results. There was no significant difference observed when comparing the 2 groups, although there was a trend toward better correction of the main thoracic curve in the all-screw construct group (P = 0.089). In the all-screw group, mean thoracic kyphosis decreased from 29.6° to 19.4° (P = 0.012). Sagittal balance changed in the hybrid group from −21.2 mm to 8.2 mm, and in the all-screw group changed from −28.8 mm to 1.5 mm. The major curve in the hybrid group improved from 54.06° to 20.25° and improved from 54.88° to 15.06° in the all-screw group. Conclusions. There was no statistically significant difference comparing the 2 groups, although a trend was observed toward better correction of the main thoracic curve in the all-screw construct group. The all-screw group demonstrated a significant decrease in kyphosis, which was not seen in the hybrid group. Hybrid constructs were comparable to all-screw constructs in the correction of coronal plane deformity and sagittal balance.

Complications of elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation of pediatric femoral fractures, and how to avoid them.

Flexible intramedullary nailing has become a popular method of fixation of pediatric femoral fractures. The authors analyzed their first 5-year experience with titanium elastic stable intra-medullary nailing, specifically to report the complications associated with this technique and to provide recommendations to avoid these complications. Seventy-eight children with 79 femoral fractures were treated by this method. Complications included pain/irritation at the insertion site (41), radiographic malunion (8), refracture (2), transient neurologic deficit (2), and superficial wound infection (2). Ten patients required reoperation prior to union. Malunion and/or loss of reduction requiring reoperation was strongly associated with the use of nails of mismatched diameters (odds ratio = 19.4) and comminution of more than 25% (odd ratio = 5.5). Pain at the insertion site was significantly associated with bent or prominent nail ends. Most complications are minor, and many are preventable. Surgeons should advance nail ends to lie against the supracondylar flare of the femur to avoid symptoms at the insertion site and should avoid implanting nails of two different diameters. Comminuted fractures should be monitored carefully and might benefit from additional immobilization.

A retrospective cohort study of pulmonary function, radiographic measures, and quality of life in children with congenital scoliosis: an evaluation of patient outcomes after early spinal fusion.

Study Design. Retrospective cohort study. Objective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate pulmonary function and quality of life (QOL) in children treated with early spinal fusion for progressive congenital scoliosis. Summary of Background Data. The relationships between radiographic measures, pulmonary function tests (PFT), and QOL were examined. Methods. Twenty-one patients with congenital scoliosis treated with early spinal fusion were evaluated using radiographs, PFT, and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) at 12.6 ± 3.5 years. They were 6.9 ± 2.3 years postdefinitive fusion, which occurred at 4.9 ± 3.1 year of age. The cohort was also divided in two groups, “thoracic fusion” (apex above the thoracolumbar T–L junction) and “nonthoracic fusion” (below T–L junction). Results. Forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume (FEV1), vital capacity (P < 0.0001), and total lung capacity (P = 0.017) were significantly lower compared with healthy children. CHQ scores were significantly lower than in healthy children in physical function (P = 0.036), general health (P = 0.007), physical summary (P = 0.026), and parental impact/emotional (P = 0.01). Correlation analysis showed that the degrees of thoracic curves were negatively correlated with FEV1 (P < 0.05), family activities, role/social physical (P < 0.05), and physical summary (P < 0.01). The degree of kyphosis was negatively correlated with Self-Esteem (P < 0.01). Patients who had thoracic fusions had shorter spinal height (P = 0.049), lower forced vital capacity (P = 0.004), FEV (P = 0.012), vital capacity (P = 0.031), and reported more pain (P = 0.033) than nonthoracic fused. Conclusion. Compared with healthy peers, congenital scoliosis patients treated with early spinal fusion have worse PFT and QOL scores at 6.9 years follow up. Patients with thoracic fusions had shorter spines, worse pulmonary function, and more pain than nonthoracic fused. The results may support alternatives to early spinal fusion such as growing rods, epiphysiodesis, and distraction thoracoplasty. Current efforts are underway to compare outcomes of this study to those of other treatments.

Correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using thoracic pedicle screw fixation versus hook constructs.

This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness and cost of thoracic pedicle screws versus laminar and pedicle hooks in patients undergoing surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Immediate preoperative and 6-week postoperative radiographs were examined in 25 consecutive cases of children with AIS who were divided into two groups, those with thoracic pedicle screw constructs and those with thoracic hook constructs. Endpoints collected included radiographic measures, complications, surgical time, implant cost, and quality-of-life measures. Ten children underwent spinal fusion using thoracic pedicle screw fixation and 15 underwent thoracic constructs composed of hooks. Similar sex and age distribution were noted in both groups, and among the 20 girls and 5 boys the average age was 14.5. The mean preoperative Cobb angle was 53.5 degrees for the screw group and 52.5 degrees for the hook group. Correction averaged 70.2% for the screw group and 68.1% for the hook group. There were no significant differences between the two patient groups in terms of percentage of or absolute curve change after surgery. The apical vertebral translation, end vertebral tilt angle, and coronal balance did not differ significantly between the two patient groups. Comparison of operative time and quality of life revealed no significant differences. Screw constructs were significantly more expensive than hook constructs. The correction obtained from thoracic pedicle screw fixation is comparable to traditional hook constructs in AIS. Surgery using either construct effectively corrects AIS.

Use of ketorolac tromethamine in children undergoing scoliosis surgery: an analysis of complications

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Ketorolac Tromethamine (ketorolac) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with proven efficacy in decreasing postoperative pain in various surgical settings, including the treatment of spine deformities. However, some studies have raised questions regarding the potential side effects of this agent, such as increased bleeding and inhibition of bony fusion. PURPOSE This study was conducted to determine whether there is any association between the use of ketorolac and postoperative complications in a group of children who underwent scoliosis surgery. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING This is a retrospective review of a group of children who underwent spinal fusion between 1989 to 1999 at our institution. PATIENT SAMPLE Data on a total of 208 children were analyzed in this study. Sixty received ketorolac and 148 did not. OUTCOME MEASURES Postoperative transfusion and reoperation rates were the two main outcome measures of interest. METHODS A retrospective review of 208 children who underwent scoliosis surgery was conducted, with a focus on ketorolac use. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to quantify the determinants of postoperative complications. RESULTS Our analyses detected no significant differences in a broad range of socioclinical variables between the two patient groups, including age at surgery, gender, type of scoliosis, surgical approach, use of erythropoietin, levels of curvature and degree of curvature. Analysis of complication rates focusing on postoperative transfusion and revision surgery showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective study of 208 children undergoing spine surgery, postoperative use of ketorolac did not significantly increase complications, including transfusion and reoperation.

Risk Factors for Spinal Cord Injury During Surgery for Spinal Deformity

BACKGROUND Spinal cord monitoring is now considered standard care during surgery for spinal deformity. Combined somatosensory and motor evoked potential monitoring allows the detection of early spinal cord dysfunction in most patients. The purpose of the current study was to identify clinical factors that increase the risk of intraoperative electrophysical changes and to provide management recommendations. METHODS The records of 162 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for the treatment of spinal deformity at a tertiary referral center were reviewed. Electrophysical monitoring of these patients was considered to have been successful if reproducible signals had been obtained. Relevant electrophysical changes included a reduction, as compared with baseline, of >50% in the amplitude of the somatosensory evoked potentials; an increase, as compared with baseline, of >10% in the latency of the somatosensory evoked potentials; a loss of motor evoked potentials; and an abrupt decrease of >75% in the motor evoked potentials. RESULTS One hundred and fifty-one (93%) of the 162 patients were monitored successfully. Four of the eleven patients with unsuccessful monitoring had neuromuscular scoliosis. Twelve of the 151 successfully monitored patients had a true electrophysical event, and two of them were found to have new postoperative neurologic deficits that represented a change from the findings of their preoperative neurologic examination. The determined causes of these electrophysical events included curve correction in eight patients, hypotension in two, direct cord trauma in one, and malposition of a pedicle screw in one. The patients with a true electrophysical event had a significantly higher rate of neurologic events than did the patients who did not have a true electrophysical event (p < 0.001). The rate of true electrophysical events was significantly higher in the patients with cardiopulmonary comorbidities than it was in the patients with no comorbidities (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS Combined somatosensory and motor evoked potential monitoring effectively prevents neurologic injury in most children undergoing surgery for spinal deformity. Despite the potential for false-positive results, we recommend setting a low threshold for defining relevant electrophysical changes. Rapid intervention can reverse these changes and avoid potentially serious neurologic complications. Patients with cardiopulmonary comorbidities may be at a higher risk for having relevant electrophysical events.

The contribution of hospital volume, payer status, and other factors on the surgical outcomes of scoliosis patients: A review of 3,606 cases in the State of California

While volume/outcomes relationships have been shown for several areas of orthopaedics, previous studies have not examined this relationship in the area of scoliosis surgery. The Office of Statewide Planning and Development (OSHPD) California inpatient discharge database was used for a retrospective review of all patients 25 years of age or younger with a diagnosis of scoliosis and a spinal fusion procedure from 1995 to 1999 (n = 3,606). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the effect of various factors on in-hospital mortality, surgical complications, reoperations, and length of stay (LOS). Univariate analyses revealed significant effects of age, sex, illness severity, neuromuscular disease, surgical approach, Medicaid status, and annual hospital volume on outcomes (P < 0.05). After controlling for these factors using multivariate regression, patients insured by Medicaid were found to have a significantly greater odds for complications (P = 0.017) and a significantly increased LOS (P < 0.001) compared with patients with all other sources of payment. Additionally, multivariate regression revealed an inverse relationship between annual hospital volume and likelihood of reoperation, as patients treated at hospitals with annual volumes of 5.1 to 25.0, 25.1 to 50.0, and greater than 50.0 spinal fusions all had approximately half the odds of reoperation (P = 0.042, P = 0.004, and P = 0.028 respectively) as patients treated at hospitals with an annual volume of 5.0 or fewer spinal fusions per year. The current data suggest that being insured with Medicaid in the state of California is associated with poorer outcomes after scoliosis surgery. Additionally, this study documents a volume/outcomes relationship in scoliosis surgery.

Avulsion Fracture of the Lesser Tuberosity in an Adolescent Baseball Pitcher A Case Report

injuries with only eight cases reported in children younger than the age of 18. The mechanism of injury is acute forced external rotation with the arm in abduction, which has been reported in children participating in sports such as football, hockey, volleyball, wrestling, and skateboarding. The diagnosis is often delayed despite chronic pain and disability. Although repetitive throwing in skeletally immature athletes has been associated with stress injuries to the epiphyseal plate commonly referred to as “Little Leaguer’s shoulder,” it has not been associated with fractures of the lesser tuberosity. We report the unique case of a skeletally immature adolescent athlete who had an isolated avulsion fracture of the lesser tuberosity from pitching.

The effect of limb length discrepancy on health-related quality of life: is the '2 cm rule' appropriate?

The primary goal of surgical equalization of lower extremity limb length discrepancy is to enhance the quality of life of patients by improving their function, gait, appearance, and pain secondary to compensation for the limb length discrepancy. While many surgeons use a cutoff point of 2 cm as an indication for intervention, little attention has been given to the effect of limb length discrepancy on quality of life. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between limb length discrepancy and health-related quality of life and to assess whether the commonly accepted 2 cm cutoff serves to predict patients with and without quality of life perturbations. The Child Health Questionnaire was used to collect information from the parents of 76 children diagnosed with limb length discrepancy, and these data were compared with data from scanograms. Differences in quality of life became more apparent with increasing limb length discrepancy, especially among psychosocial health domains. As expected, patients with a limb length discrepancy of 2 cm or below generally fared better than patients with larger discrepancies, but no discrete cutoff could be identified within this group.

Assessment of health status in patients with cerebral palsy: what is the role of quality-of-life measures?

Measuring quality of life (QOL) in a population with a functional range as large as that of the pediatric cerebral palsy population is challenging. This study assessed the utility of two common QOL instruments in this population: the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI). The goal was to determine the efficacy of these questionnaires in detecting subtle differences in the QOL among children with cerebral palsy and to demonstrate the need for dynamic assessment when evaluating QOL within this group. There were 180 subjects between the ages of 5 and 18 years, split into three diagnostic groups-diplegic, hemiplegic, and quadriplegic. The PODCI was more sensitive to differences in the diplegic and hemiplegic groups, but quadriplegics exhibited a floor effect (50% or more scored at most 15 out of 100) in three of the five domains. The CHQ was more effective for the quadriplegic group, but the diplegic and hemiplegic diagnostic groups exhibited a ceiling effect on 2 of the 12 domains in that questionnaire. Because an instrument that uses dynamic assessment bases subsequent questions on the patients response to the first ones, dynamic assessment would help to avoid ceiling and floor effects by asking questions more pertinent to the patients actual condition, and it would save time that would have been wasted answering irrelevant questions about function and QOL.