A New Look at Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT): Through the Modified Clavien-Dindo-Sink (mCDS) Classification.

INTRODUCTION: Anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) is increasingly popular as an option for surgical treatment of idiopathic scoliosis (IS). While the technology remains new, it is important for families and patients to be able to compare it to the current standard of care, posterior spinal fusion (PSF). The purpose of this study is to describe the complication rate of AVBT in IS using the mCDS and to compare it to the recently reported complication rate of PSF in IS. METHODS: A multicenter pediatric spine deformity database was queried for all idiopathic scoliosis patients who underwent vertebral body tethering. There were 171 patients with a minimum 9-month follow-up included in this study. Complications were retrospectively graded by 2 attending pediatric spine surgeons using the mCDS classification system. RESULTS: Data from 171 patients with idiopathic scoliosis was available for analysis, with 156/171 (91%) of patients being female and an average age of 12.2 years old at surgery. There were 156 thoracic tethers (1 with an LIV below L2), 5 lumbar tethers, 9 staged double tethers, and only 1 patient with same-day double tether. Fifty-five (55) (32%) patients experienced a total of 69 complications. The most common complication type for VBT by mCDS was Grade IIIb, encompassing 29/69 (42%) of complications. The second most frequent complication grade was Grade I at 23/69 (33%). Thirty-four (34) out of 69 (49%) of the VBT complications reported required either procedural/surgical intervention or admission to the ICU. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to directly compare the complication profile of VBT to PSF using the mCDS. Forty-nine percent (49%) of the VBT complications reported were at least Grade III, while only 7% of complications in the control PSF cohort from the literature were Grade III or higher. The mCDS complication classification brings light to the early learning experience of a new technique compared to the widely accepted standard of PSF for IS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III - Retrospective comparative study.

Rib-on-Pelvis Deformity and Reported Pain in Neuromuscular Early-Onset Scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuromuscular early-onset scoliosis (N-EOS) often presents with a long sweeping thoracolumbar scoliosis and pelvic obliquity. With severe pelvic obliquity, the ribs come into contact with the high side of the pelvis, termed rib-on-pelvis deformity (ROP). The goal of this study is to evaluate whether ROP is associated with reported pain and other health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures. We hypothesize that ROP is associated with increased pain and negative HRQOL. METHODS: A multicenter international registry was queried for all nonambulatory patients with N-EOS from 2012 to 2022. Both surgical and nonsurgical patients were included. ROP was classified as a binary radiographic assessment of preoperative (surgical patients) and most recent follow-up (nonsurgical patients) upright radiographs. Reported pain and other HRQOL measures were assessed through the 24-Item Early Onset Scoliosis Questionnaire (EOSQ-24). Patients with nonupright radiographs or EOSQ-24 questionnaires and corresponding radiographs >4 months apart were excluded. RESULTS: Totally, 225 patients (8.4±3.1 y, 55% female) were included. The median major curve was 63.3 (IQR: 40.6 to 81.2) degrees and median pelvic obliquity was 15.5 degrees (IQR: 8.8 to 26.4). Eighty-three patients (37%) had ROP. ROP was associated with both frequency (P<0.001) and severity (P<0.001) of pain. ROP was associated with worse general health (P=0.01), increased difficulty with vocalization (P=0.02), increased frequency of shortness of breath (P=0.002), and increased difficulty sitting upright (P=0.04). Regarding overall EOSQ-24 domains, ROP was associated with worse general health, pain/discomfort, pulmonary function, and physical function (P<0.01). In a subanalysis of 76 patients who underwent surgical intervention with at least 2 years of follow-up, patients with preoperative ROP experienced significantly greater improvements in both frequency (P=0.004) and severity (P=0.001) of pain than the patients without preoperative ROP at 2 years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of ROP in N-EOS is about 37%. ROP is associated with greater pain and worse HRQOL through the EOSQ-24 questionnaire. Furthermore, these patients experienced a greater reduction in pain after surgery. Clinicians and parents must be aware that ROP is possibly a pain generator, but responds positively to surgical intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Definition of Tweener: Consensus Among Experts in Treating Early-onset Scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: The term "Tweener" is colloquially used to refer to early-onset scoliosis (EOS) patients whose age and development make them candidates for multiple surgical options. The purpose of this study was to establish expert consensus on a definition to formally characterize the Tweener population. METHODS: A 3-round survey of surgeons in an international EOS study group was conducted. Surgeons were provided with various patient characteristics and asked if each was part of their definition for Tweener patients. Responses were analyzed for consensus (≥70%), near-consensus (60% to 69%), and no consensus (<60%). RESULTS: Consensus was reached (89% of respondents) for including chronological age in the Tweener definition; 8 to 10 years for females and 9 to 11 years for males. Surgeons agreed for inclusion of Sanders score, particularly Sanders 2 (86.0%). Patients who have reached Sanders 4, postmenarche, or have closed triradiate cartilage should not be considered Tweeners. Bone age range of 8 years and 10 months to 10 years and 10 months for females (12 y for males) could be part of the Tweener definition. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the Tweener definition could be the following: patients with open triradiate cartilage who are not postmenarche and have not reached Sanders 4, and if they have one of the following: Sanders 2 or chronological age 8 to 10 years for females (9 to 11 y for males) or bone age 8 years and 10 months to 10 years and 10 months for females (12 y for males). This definition will allow for more focused and comparative research on this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V-expert opinion.

Surviving in the Electronic Era: My Top EMR Hacks.

With many pediatric orthopaedic surgeons spending 3 or even more days a week in clinic, a thorough understanding of the ever-changing electronic medical record is paramount to providing excellent clinical care, overall job satisfaction, and minimizing clinician burnout. Here we provide 5 tips to optimize clinic workflow for the busy pediatric orthopaedic surgeon in the electronic medical record era.

Standardizing a Postoperative Protocol for Supracondylar Humerus Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Supracondylar humerus fractures are the most commonly operated upper extremity fracture in pediatric orthopaedics, yet there does not currently exist a standardized recommendation for a postoperative protocol. As advanced practice providers take on larger roles in the care of fracture patients, it may alleviate confusion to standardize postoperative protocols. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes between three different postoperative management protocols following operative fixation of supracondylar humerus fractures. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all patients who underwent operative fixation of a supracondylar humerus fracture during the 2014 to 2015 academic year. Postoperative protocols were classified as either "liberal," "intermediate," or "conservative," based on how quickly the surgeon allowed unrestricted motion of the elbow postoperatively. Patients were evaluated for range of motion, functional elbow motion, and elbow clinical function, as well for postoperative complications. Univariate analysis was conducted to detect the differences in outcomes between protocol groups with P<0.01 considered significant. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included in the final analysis, with 17 patients in the liberal group, 50 in the intermediate group, and 33 in the conservative group. There were no differences in patient population (age, sex, fracture type, concomitant nerve palsy, ipsilateral injuries, or physical therapy referrals) between the groups (P>0.01). There were no differences in range of motion, functional motion, or elbow clinical function (P>0.01) between the postoperative protocol groups. There were no postoperative complications (unplanned return to operating room, refracture, need for fixation revision, or infection) in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in postoperative complications or outcomes between the patients in the liberal, intermediate, or conservative protocol groups. In an efficiency-focused era, we conclude that a standardized liberal protocol be considered at a busy orthopaedic center. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: This study is a level III therapeutic study. It is a retrospective study that compares the outcomes after following 1 of 3 different postoperative protocols.

Study Groups and POSNA: A Review of Podium Presentations From 2006 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Study groups are multicenter collaborations aimed at improving orthopaedic decision-making through higher-powered, more generalizable studies. New research is disseminated through peer-reviewed literature and academic meetings, including the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) annual meeting, which brings together academic and medical professionals in pediatric orthopaedics. The goal of this study was to identify patterns in podium presentations (PP) at the POSNA annual meeting resulting from multicenter study groups during a 15-year period. METHODS: A total of 2065 PP from the 2006 to 2020 POSNA annual meetings were identified. The abstracts of each PP were reviewed to determine if they resulted from a multicenter study group and for characteristics including subspecialty focus. PP from 2006 to 2018 were further reviewed for publication in academic journals. Pearson correlation was used to assess change in the number of PP resulting from study groups overtime. Univariate analysis was used to compare characteristics of PP based on study group involvement (significance P<0.05). RESULTS: The proportion of PP resulting from study groups increased from 2.2% (n=2) in 2006 to 9.4% in 2020 (n=16) (R2=0.519, P=0.002). Of the PP resulting from study groups, 52.9% focused on spine, 26.5% on hip, 2.9% on sports, and 2.0% on trauma. This is compared with a distribution of 16.7% (P<0.001) spine, 15.9% (P=0.005) hip, 9.5% (P=0.026) sports, and 14.6% (P<0.001) trauma focus of PP not from study groups. There was no difference in publication rate of PP resulting from study groups compared with those that were not (69.1% vs. 66.2%, P=0.621). CONCLUSIONS: In the 15-year period from 2006 to 2020, there was a nearly 5-fold increase in the proportion of POSNA PP resulting from study groups. Spine surgery is disproportionately supported by study groups, suggesting that there is an opportunity to establish new study groups across the breadth of pediatric orthopaedics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.

A Modern Day Timeline for In-Hospital Monitoring in Perfused, Pulseless Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fractures.

BACKGROUND: The perfused, pulseless supracondylar humerus fracture (ppSCHF) remains a consistent topic of discussion in the literature. Inpatient observation of these patients postoperatively for worsening vascular exam or compartment syndrome is frequently recommended but not well studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postoperative complications in a cohort of ppSCHF patients and their timeline to discharge. METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of all operatively treated supracondylar humerus fractures from a tertiary pediatric hospital from 2013 to 2019. All patients without a palpable pulse were included. We excluded patients with <4 weeks follow-up. Demographic, operative, and postoperative data were collected, including time from presentation to operating room (OR), time from OR to discharge, and incidence of postoperative complications, including return to OR, compartment syndrome, new neurovascular deficits, and Volkmann contractures. The descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. RESULTS: Among 1371 operatively treated supracondylar humerus fractures, 39 (2.8%) presented with a ppSCHF. Five (15%) had a signal on doppler ultrasound, whereas 34 (85%) had no signal. Thirty-seven (95%) patients had a Gartland type III fracture and 2 (5%) had type IV fractures. Twenty-two (56%) patients had a neurological deficit, of which 14 had an anterior interosseous nerve deficit. The average time to OR was 6.9 (range 2.2 to 15) hours; 6 (15%) required open reduction. At the time of discharge, 85% of patients had a palpable pulse and 13% had a dopplerable signal. Postoperatively, no patients were returned to the OR for any secondary procedures. The average length of stay after the operation was 25 (range 8.5 to 40) hours, with 92% of patients being discharged by 36 hours postoperatively. No patients developed compartment syndrome, new neurological deficits, or Volkmann contractures at a mean follow-up of 112 (range 34 to 310) days. CONCLUSIONS: In our study of 39 patients presenting with ppSCHF, no patient required an unexpected return to the OR, or developed post-treatment compartment syndrome, neurological deficits, or Volkmann contractures. The average time from OR to discharge for ppSCHF was 25 hours. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Trends in the Utilization of Implants in Index Procedures for Early Onset Scoliosis From the Pediatric Spine Study Group.

INTRODUCTION: Because of the relative rarity of Early Onset Scoliosis (EOS) cases, patient registries were developed to combine clinical information from multiple institutions to maximize patient care and outcomes. This study examines the history and trends regarding the use of growth-friendly devices for index surgical procedures in EOS patients within the Pediatric Spine Study Group database. METHODS: All index growth-friendly implants were queried from registry inception until October 2020. EOS etiology, device/implant type, and geographic area/institution for each procedure were recorded. RESULTS: From 1994 to 2020, 2786 patients underwent index surgery at a mean age of 6.2±2.9 years. There were 908 traditional growing rods (TGR) (32.3%), 922 vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib devices (VEPTR) (33.1%), 5 hybrid VEPTR/TGR (0.18%), and 951 magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGR) (34.2%) index implants. Fifty-six different institutions reported an index implant, and 5 accounted for 823 (30%) of the cases during the study period. Institutions in the Northeast accounted for more index implants than other regions of the United States. There was a 40% increase in index implant insertions annually when comparing 1994 (3 implants/1 center) to 2018 (234 implants/56 centers), ( P <0.001). Beginning in 2009, there was a 90.9% decrease in the number of TGR/VEPTR procedures (2009: 156 implants/32 centers; 2019: 22 implants/49 centers P =0.001), and a 479% increase in MCGR (2009: 1 implant/1 center; 2018: 197 implants/34 centers ( P =0.005). The overall number of growth-friendly index procedures performed in 2019 (150/49 centers) decreased 34.5% when compared to 2018 (234/48 centers). CONCLUSION: The number of growth-friendly implants reported in the Pediatric Spine Study Group registry as the initial surgical management of EOS increased markedly over the past 20 years. MCGR is currently the predominant type of device utilized for index surgical procedures by group members, surpassing the use of VEPTR and TGR in 2014. There was a significant decrease in index growth-friendly procedures in 2019 compared to 2018. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Mortality in Early-Onset Scoliosis During the Growth-friendly Surgery Era.

INTRODUCTION: Early-onset scoliosis (EOS) is a spinal deformity that occurs in patients 9 years of age or younger. Severe deformity may result in thoracic insufficiency, respiratory failure, and premature death. The purpose of this study is to describe the modern-day natural history of mortality in patients with EOS. METHODS: The multicenter Pediatric Spine Study Group database was queried for all patients with EOS who are deceased, without exclusion. Demographics, underlying diagnoses, EOS etiology, operative and nonoperative treatments or observation, complications, and date of death were retrieved. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier curves were performed. RESULTS: There were 130/8009 patients identified as deceased for a registry mortality rate of 16 per 1000 patients. The mean age at death was 10.6 years (range: 1.0 to 30.2 y) and the most common EOS etiology was neuromuscular (73/130, 56.2%; P<0.001). Deceased patients were more likely be treated operatively than nonoperatively or observed (P<0.001). The mean age of death for patients treated operatively (12.3 y) was older than those treated nonoperatively (7.0 y) or observed (6.3 y) (P<0.001) despite a larger deformity and similar index visit body mass index and ventilation requirements. Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed an increased survival time in patients with a history of any spine operation compared with patients without a history of spine operation (P<0.0001). Operatively treated patients experienced a median of 3.0 complications from diagnosis to death. Overall, cardiopulmonary related complications were the most common (129/271, 47.6%; P<0.001), followed by implant-related (57/271, 21.0%) and wound-related (26/271, 9.6%). The primary cause of death was identified for 78/130 (60.0%) patients, of which 57/78 (73.1%) were cardiopulmonary related. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest collection of EOS mortality to date, providing surgeons with a modern-day examination of the effects of surgical intervention to better council patients and families. Both fatal and nonfatal complications in children with EOS are most likely to involve the cardiopulmonary system. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-therapeutic.

Impact of growth friendly interventions on spine and pulmonary outcomes of patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

PURPOSE: Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are often treated with growth friendly devices such as vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib(VEPTR) and magnetically controlled growing rods(MCGR) to correct spinal deformity and improve pulmonary function. There is limited data on this topic, and the purpose of this study was to assess the effect of these constructs and the addition of chest wall support (CWS) on spinal deformity, thorax morphology and pulmonary outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. We included patients with chest wall deformity and scoliosis secondary to SMA who were treated with growth friendly interventions and had two-year follow-up. Descriptive statistics and univariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: This study included 66 patients (25% MCGR, 73% VEPTR, 2% unknown). Approximately 23% of constructs included CWS. The average Cobb angle improved from 67° (SD: 27°) to 50° (SD: 26°) at 2 years in patients with CWS (p = 0.02), and from 59° (SD: 20°) to 46° (SD: 15°) at 2 years in patients without CWS (p < 0.01). Hemithorax height improved in patients treated with and without CWS (p = 0.01), but hemithorax width only improved in patients with CWS (p = 0.01). One patient with CWS and two patients without CWS required additional respiratory support at 2 years. The rates of postoperative complications were not significantly different in patients treated with and without CWS (p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Growth friendly constructs improve spinal deformity and may be effective in altering the progression toward respiratory failure in patients with SMA. Patients treated with CWS have significant improvements in thorax morphology compared to patients without CWS.

A Gender Gap in Publishing? Understanding the Glass Ceiling in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Women are underrepresented across most surgical specialties and especially in the field of orthopaedic surgery. Despite pediatric orthopaedic surgery being one of the most gender diverse subspecialties in orthopaedics, women may still face barriers to academic advancement. Research presentations at national meetings and publication record are important drivers of advancement in the field of academic orthopaedic surgery. The aim of this study is to assess whether research abstracts authored by women are less likely to be published than abstracts authored by men. METHODS: Abstracts from research podium presentations given at the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America annual meetings from 2006 to 2020 were reviewed to assess research quality and determine basic study characteristics. For each abstract, author gender was determined through a search of institutional websites and professional networking websites for gender-specific pronouns. Resulting publications corresponding to the 2006 to 2018 were identified using a systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Kaplan-Meier inverse survival analysis with log rank test were used to determine differences in publication rates based on whether the last (senior) author was female versus male. Multivariate, binary logistic regression was performed to assess factors predictive of eventual publication. RESULTS: One thousand five hundred and eighty-one of 1626 (97.2%) of abstracts from 2006 to 2020 had an identifiable last author gender, with 17.8% (281/1581) female. No differences in study quality were identified across genders including sample size, level of evidence, or impact factor of journal if leading to publication. Women were more likely to author abstracts in foot, ankle, or lower extremity surgery [17.8% (50/281) vs. 12.9% (168/1300), P=0.032] and less likely to author abstracts focusing on the hip [11.0% (31/281) vs. 17.1% (222/1300), P=0.012]. Abstracts with women as the last author were significantly less likely to be published compared with abstracts with men as the last author [59.6% (143/240) vs. 67.9% (783/1154), P=0.013]. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that last author female gender was predictive of a lower likelihood of publication (odds ratio: 0.684, 95% confidence interval: 0.513-0.912, P=0.010). Women were less likely to be the last author of abstracts presented by study groups [2.1% (6/281) vs. 5.5% (71/1300), P=0.019]. CONCLUSION: In pediatric orthopaedic surgery, abstracts authored by women are less likely to reach publication, despite no identifiable differences in study quality. Reasons for this discrepancy must be explored including insufficient mentorship, exclusion from study group participation, or potential bias against female researchers in the field of orthopaedic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Risk of Scoliosis Progression in Nonoperatively Treated Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Based on Skeletal Maturity.

BACKGROUND: Hand radiographs for skeletal maturity staging are now frequently used to evaluate remaining growth potential for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Our objective was to create a model predicting a patient's risk of curve progression based on modern treatment standards. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all AIS patients presenting with a major curve <50 degrees, available hand radiographs, and complete follow up through skeletal maturity at our institution over a 3-year period. Patients with growth remaining underwent rigid bracing of curves >25 degrees, whereas patients between 10 and 25 degrees were observed. Treatment success was defined as reaching skeletal maturity with a major curve <50 degrees. Four risk categories were identified based on likelihood of curve progression. RESULTS: Of 609 AIS patients (75.4% female) presenting with curves over 10 degrees and reaching skeletal maturity at most recent follow up, 503 (82.6%) had major thoracic curves. 16.3% (82/503) of thoracic curves progressed into surgical treatment range. The highest risk group (Sanders 1 to 6 and curve 40 to 49 degrees, Sanders 1 to 2 and curve 30 to 39) demonstrate a 30% success rate with nonoperative treatment. This constitutes an 111.1 times (95% confidence interval: 47.6 to 250.0, P<0.001) higher risk of progression to surgical range than patients in the lowest risk categories (Sanders 1 to 8 and curve 10 to 19 degrees, Sanders 3 to 8 and curve 20 to 29 degrees, Sanders 5 to 8 and curve 30 to 39 degrees). CONCLUSIONS: Skeletal maturity and curve magnitude have strong predictive value for future curve progression. The results presented here represent a valuable resource for orthopaedic providers regarding a patient's risk of progression and ultimate surgical risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective cohort study.

Rib-based Distraction Device Implantation Before Age 3 Associated With Higher Unplanned Rate of Return to the Operating Room.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of early-onset scoliosis (EOS) with rib-based implants such as the vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR) is associated with a high rate of complications including surgical site infection, skin breakdown, and implant migration. Many of these complications warrant the need for unplanned reoperations, increasing the burden on an already vulnerable patient population, and introducing the further risk of infection. To provide insight into the risks of early intervention, we investigate the relationship between initial device implantation before the age of 3 and the rate of unplanned reoperation. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients at a single institution who had undergone VEPTR insertion for EOS with at least a 2-year follow-up from 2007 to 2016. Patients were stratified into the case-cohort (0 to 2 y of age) or the comparison cohort (3 to 10 y of age) based on age at the time of device implantation. Multivariate regression accounting for age and scoliosis etiology was performed to identify factors predictive of unplanned reoperation. RESULTS: A total of 137 of 185 patients treated with VEPTR were identified with 76 (56%) undergoing at least 1 unplanned reoperation during the study time period. There were 68 and 69 patients in the age 0- to 2-year and 3- to 10-year cohorts, respectively. Patients aged 0 to 2 years underwent a higher number of total procedures compared with those aged 3 to 10 (13.1±6.5 vs. 10.6±4.8, P=0.032). A significant difference was found in the rate of unplanned reoperation between the 2 cohorts with 44 (65%) patients aged 0 to 2 and 32 (46%) patients aged 3 to 10 undergoing at least 1 unplanned reoperation (P=0.031). Binary logistic multivariate regression accounting for age and scoliosis etiology demonstrated that patients aged 0 to 2 had a significantly greater odds of undergoing an unplanned reoperation (odds ratio=3.050; 95% confidence interval: 1.285-7.241; P=0.011) compared with patients aged 3 to 10 years. CONCLUSION: Overall, EOS patients aged 0 to 2 at initial VEPTR implantation are up to 3 times higher risk of undergoing an unplanned reoperation compared with those aged 3 to 10. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Outcomes and Complications in Management of Congenital Myopathy Early-Onset Scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Congenital myopathies (CMs) are complex conditions often associated with early-onset scoliosis (EOS). The purpose of this study was to investigate radiographic outcomes in CM patients undergoing EOS instrumentation as well as complications. Secondarily, we sought to compare these patients to a population with higher prevalence, cerebral palsy (CP) EOS patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of a prospectively collected multicenter registry. The registry was queried for EOS patients with growth-sparing instrumentation (vertical expandable prosthetic titanium ribs, magnetically controlled growing rods, traditional growing rod, or Shilla) and a CM or CP diagnosis with minimum 2 years follow-up. Outcomes included major curve magnitude, T1-S1 height, kyphosis, and complications. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with CM were included. Six (37.5%) children with CM experienced 11 complications by 2 years. Mean major curve magnitude for CM patients was improved postoperatively and maintained at 2 years (P<0.01), with no significant increase in T1-S1 height or maximum kyphosis(P>0.05). Ninety-seven patients with CP EOS were included as a comparative cohort. Fewer CP patients required baseline respiratory support compared with CM patients (20.0% vs. 92.9%, P<0.01). Fifty-four (55.7%) CP patients experienced a total of 105 complications at 2 years. There was no evidence that the risk of complication or radiographic outcomes differs between cohorts at 2 years, though CP EOS patients experienced significant improvement in all measurements at 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: EOS CM children face a high risk of complication after growing instrumentation, with similar curve correction and risk of complication to CP patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Lengthening Less Than 7 Months Leads to Greater Spinal Height Gain With Rib-based Distraction.

BACKGROUND: Severe early-onset scoliosis (EOS) has been associated with a multitude of comorbidities, chief among them being deficient thoracic spine growth and pulmonary complications. EOS management with rib-based instrumentation involves repeated lengthening. Despite expansion practice patterns, there is limited literature and no evidence-based guidelines for optimal expansion intervals. Our study evaluates clinical outcomes in relation to lengthening intervals with the aim of optimizing the timing of surgical expansion in EOS patients. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective review of 60 EOS patients treated with rib-based growth instrumentation with a minimum of 3-year follow-up and 3 expansion/revision surgeries. Patients were separated into 2 expansion cohorts: (1) more frequent lengthening [MFL group (≤7 mo)] and (2) less frequent lengthening [LFL group (>7 mo)]. Demographic information and clinical factors were recorded. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Both the MFL group (35 patients) and LFL group (25 patients) were similar in sex distribution, diagnosis, preoperative parameters of interest, and treatment duration. The mean follow-up was 6.0 years. There was an increase in postoperative T1-S1 spine height gained in the MFL group (P=0.006) as well as a higher percent expected spine growth based on normative values (P=0.03) when compared with the LFL group. The MFL group had more expansion/revision surgeries (P=0.003) but no increase in the number of complications (P=0.86). CONCLUSIONS: More frequent lengthenings were associated with statistically significant overall spinal height gain and percent expected growth without a significant increase in complication rates. It was shown that change in major curve and space available for the lungs was not associated with the lengthening intervals. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-a comparative retrospective study.

The Impact of Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF) on Coronal Balance in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS): A New Classification and Trends in the Postoperative Period.

INTRODUCTION: One of the primary goals of scoliosis surgery is to balance the head over the pelvis (or avoid creating imbalance). Historically, a normal coronal balance was defined as the C7 plumb line (C7PL) within 2 cm of the central sacral vertical line (CSVL); however, there is limited published information regarding the speed/magnitude and success/failure of balancing, rebalancing, or unbalancing in the postoperative period. The purpose of this study is to classify and quantify coronal plane balance postoperatively in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis when using pedicle screw instrumentation. METHODS: Evaluated patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who had a posterior spinal fusion withstanding 2-view, posteroanterior and lateral radiographs of the entire spine performed at first erect visit, 6, 12, and 24 months. To measure coronal balance, a C7PL was measured and compared with the CSVL. A negative value denotes the leftward deviation of the C7PL and a positive value a rightward deviation. The authors then created a novel coronal balance classification system. RESULTS: A total of 954 patients met the inclusion criteria. There was a strong trend toward improving coronal balance, especially between first erect and 6 months; the proportion of out of balance patients declined throughout the 2-year period: preoperative 372 of 954 (39%), first erect 297 of 954 (31.1%), 6 months 167 of 954 (17.5%), 1 year 136 of 954 (14.3%), and 2 years 115 of 954 (12.0%). Analyzing the patients most out of balance immediately after posterior spinal fusion, 35 of 50 (70%) in group 3 regained balance by 2 years. Out of the remaining 15 patients, 12 corrected to group 1 (24%), 2 patients to group 2 (4%), and 1 patient remained in group 3 (2%). CONCLUSIONS: This large, longitudinal postoperative study of coronal balance documents a strong trend toward postoperative rebalancing, with the largest gains between first erect image and 6 months. The 31% of patients out of balance at first erect declined to only 12.1% at 2 years.

Comparison of T1-S1 Spine Height of Postoperative Rib-based Implant Patients With Age-matched Peers.

BACKGROUND: Severe early-onset scoliosis leads to deficient spine height, thoracic growth inhibition, and ultimately pulmonary compromise. Rib-based growing instrumentation seeks to correct thoracic deformities, in part by correcting the spinal deformity, adding height, increasing thoracic volume, and allowing for continual spinal growth until maturity. However, the amount of growth in these patients relative to their peers is unknown. METHODS: Sixty patients who had undergone surgical intervention for the treatment of early-onset scoliosis were assessed via radiographic measurements of coronal T1-S1 height and major curve angle before implantation and again at most recent follow-up (minimum 2 years). T1-S1 measurements were then compared with age-matched peers to assess growth differences. Clinical information was examined for relevant parameters. RESULTS: The average age of our cohort at initial surgery and most recent follow-up was 4.4±3.8 and 10.0±4.4 years old, respectively. In this patient set, there was an average increase in T1-S1 height of 13.1±11.1 mm per year, with the majority of growth occurring in the first 2 years following implantation, and improvement in a major curve from 68±8 to 53±7 degrees. Overall, 77% of patients saw improvement in the major curve at most recent follow-up. Furthermore, a statistically significant greater percent of expected growth was seen in congenital compared with neuromuscular scoliosis (P<0.001). In addition, a weak negative correlation was observed between a number of surgical lengthenings and T1-S1 growth. CONCLUSIONS: Rib-based implant intervention has been shown to improve the major curve, but only improves growth potential to around 80% of expected growth. Scoliosis diagnosis type also influences growth rate potential, with congenital scoliosis patients being surgically treated earlier in life and having a growth rate approaching that of a healthy individual. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-Case control.

Can We Save the Implant: Rib-based Implant Removal Rates and Risk Factors Following Irrigation and Debridement (I&D) Surgery?

BACKGROUND: In the event of a surgical site infection, management includes surgical debridement in an attempt to treat the infection and retain the implant; however they are often unsuccessful in this regard. Although studies have described the incidence of complications, current literature does not have sufficient evidence to provide clear recommendations regarding retention versus removal of implants. This study aims to identify predictive factors associated with the need for implant removal to decrease unnecessary attempts at implant retention. METHODS: A retrospective review of early-onset scoliosis patients at a single institution treated with rib-based vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib implants who developed infection requiring irrigation and debridement (I&D) due to wound problems including surgical site infection, skin slough, and wound dehiscence. All patients had a minimum of a 2-year follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the odds of implant removal. RESULTS: Fifty-nine of 181 patients (32%) required an I&D due to a wound problem. These patients underwent the initial implant procedure at a mean age of 4.6±3.8 years. In total, 29 patients ultimately underwent implant removal. Significant predictive factors for removal included total number of wound problems, total number of I&Ds, days from identification of wound problem to I&D procedure, days on antibiotics, total number of surgeries, presence of gastrostomy tube, and nonambulatory status (P<0.0001, 0.001, 0.095, 0.093, 0.082, 0.054, and 0.026, respectively). Multiple logistic regression results indicated a total number of wound problems [odds ratio (OR): 6.00, P=0.001], average days from identification of wound problem to I&D (OR: 1.03, P=0.039), and presence of a gastrostomy tube (OR: 5.7, P=0.07) as independent predictors for implant removal. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggests that time from the onset of signs of infection until debridement surgery inversely correlates with the ability to retain the implants. In addition, gastrostomy tube and history of previous wound infections may be predictive clinical factors for implant removal in patients with a rib-based vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib instrumentation. Such information can be useful for clinicians in deciding on whom to attempt implant retention versus removal when a wound problem presents itself. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Expert Consensus for Early Onset Scoliosis Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Despite a validated classification system, high-quality multicenter research databases (CSSG/GSSG), and a recent proliferation in publications, early-onset scoliosis (EOS) surgeons have no consensus on standards for surgical treatment. The 21st-century revolution in EOS care has only accelerated, with the arrival of a classification system, magnetically controlled growing rod, nusinersen, and improved nonoperative care (Mehta or Risser casting and compliance-monitored braces). This dizzying pace of change may have outstripped our ability to develop best-practice standards for EOS surgical indications. To learn where consensus is best (and worst) at this moment, we surveyed EOS world thought-leaders on a collection of representative cases. METHODS: A 6-case survey was constructed and sent to 20 EOS world thought-leaders. The cases were selected to be representative of the major treatment categories: idiopathic, neuromuscular, syndromic, congenital, thoracic dysplasia, and spinal muscular atrophy (specifically to assess the impact of nusinersen and parasol deformity on surgical planning). Respondents were queried regarding treatment with specific attention to instrumentation and construct when surgery was selected. Responses regarding surgical timing and technique were analyzed for consensus (defined as >80%). χ analysis was performed to evaluate for differences in treatment preferences based on years of experience. RESULTS: The survey response was 100%. Clinical experience ranged from 8 to 40 years (average 23.9 y). There was no consensus on any case. The greatest variability was on the congenital case; the closest to consensus was on the spinal muscular atrophy case. Three or more approaches were selected for all 6 cases; >4 approaches were selected for 5 cases. There is a trend towards screw fixation for proximal anchors. The management of thoracic dysplasia and parasol deformity is far from consensus. CONCLUSION: The lack of consensus for surgical treatment of 6 representative EOS cases demands a renewed effort and commitment to develop best-practice guidelines based on multicenter outcome data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V-Expert Opinion.

Proximal Femur Fractures in Children: Enigmatic Injuries.

Proximal femoral fractures in the skeletally immature patient can be challenging for the orthopaedic surgeon to manage. This type of injury includes the femoral head/neck, intertrochanteric, and subtrochanteric fractures. The Delbet classification system historically describes all injuries in the pediatric proximal femur, except subtrochanteric fractures. Understanding the possible complications (coxa vara, osteonecrosis, premature physeal closure, nonunion) when managing these injuries can help with preoperative and intraoperative decision making. Although the understanding of proximal femur fractures has improved, many of the risk factors for poor outcomes in these injuries are not modifiable. Familiarity with the history, classification, complications, factors influencing the outcome, and management options available in 2018 will help improve the outcomes of pediatric proximal femur fractures.