Occipital Plate Fixation in the Pediatric Population.

BACKGROUND: Occipital plate fixation has been shown to improve outcomes in cervical spine fusion. There is a paucity of literature describing occipital plate fixation, especially in the pediatric population. The authors reviewed a case series of 34 patients at a pediatric hospital who underwent cervical spine fusion with occipital plate fixation between 2003 and 2016. This study describes how occipital plates aid the cervical spine union in a case series of diverse, complex pediatric patients. METHODS: Our orthopaedic database at our institution was queried for patients undergoing an instrumented cervical spine procedure between 2003 and 2016. Medical records were used to collect diagnoses, fusion levels, surgical technique, and length of hospitalization, neurophysiological monitoring, complications, and revision procedures. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 10.9 years (range, 3-21 y). Indications for surgery included cervical instability, basilar invagination, and os odontoideum. These indications were often secondary to a variety of diagnoses, including trisomy 21, Klippel-Feil syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. The mean length of hospitalization was 10 days (range, 2 to 80 d). There were no cases of intraoperative dural leak, venous sinus bleeding from occipital screw placement, or implant-related complications. Postoperative complications included 2 cases of nonunion. Eight patients (24%) had follow-up surgery, only 3 (9%) of which were instrumentation revisions. Both patients with nonunion had repeat occipitocervical fixation procedures and achieved union with revision. CONCLUSIONS: Occipital plate fixation was successful for pediatric cervical spine fusion in this diverse cohort. The only procedure-related complication demonstrated was delayed union or nonunion and implant loosening (4/34, 12%) and there were no plate-related complications. This novel case series shows that occipital plate fixation is safe and effective for pediatric patients with complex diagnoses. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-case series.

Why Irrigate for the Same Contamination Rate: Wound Contamination in Pediatric Spinal Surgery Using Betadine Versus Saline.

BACKGROUND: The risk of surgical site infection in pediatric posterior spine fusion (PSF) is up to 4.3% in idiopathic populations and 24% in patients with neuromuscular disease. Twenty-three percent of pediatric PSF tissue cultures are positive before closure, with a higher rate in neuromuscular patients. Our primary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a complete randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of surgical site irrigation with povidone-iodine (PVP-I) compared with sterile saline (SS) to reduce the bacterial contamination rate before closure in children undergoing PSF. METHODS: One hundred seventy-five subjects undergoing PSF were enrolled in a multicenter, single-blind, pilot randomized controlled trial. We recruited patients at low-risk (LR) and high-risk (HR) for infection 3:1, respectively. Before closure, a wound culture was collected. Nonviable tissues were debrided and the wound was soaked with 0.35% PVP-I or SS for 3 minutes. The wound was then irrigated with 2 L of saline and a second sample was collected. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-three subjects completed the protocol. Seventy-seven subjects were allocated to PVP-I (18 HR, 59 LR) and 76 to SS (19 HR, 57 LR). Cultures were positive in 18% (14/77) of PVP-I samples (2 HR, 12 LR) and in 17% (13/76) of SS samples (3 HR, 10 LR) preirrigation and in 16% (12/77) of PVP-I samples (5 HR, 7 LR) and in 18% (14/76) of SS samples (4 HR, 10 LR) postirrigation. Eight percent (3/37) HR subjects (1 PVP-I, 2 SS) experienced infection at 30 days postoperative. No LR subjects experienced infection. CONCLUSIONS: Positive cultures were similar across treatment and risk groups. The bacterial contamination of wounds before closure remains high regardless of irrigation type. A complete randomized controlled trial would be challenging to adequately power given the similarity of tissue positivity across groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II-pilot randomized controlled trial.

C2 Translaminar Screw Fixation in Children.

BACKGROUND: Axis (C2) screw fixation has been shown to be effective in treating disorders that necessitate cervical stabilization. Although translaminar C2 screws have demonstrated clinical efficacy in adults, this technique has not yet been thoroughly investigated in children. This study describes the indications, technique, and results of translaminar C2 screw fixation in a case series of pediatric cervical spine disorders. METHODS: We searched the orthopaedic database at our institution for patients who had undergone a cervical spinal fusion that encompassed C2 between 2007 and 2017. Operative records were reviewed to determine if C2 screw fixation was performed and, if so, the type of C2 screw fixation. Clinical data with regard to patient age at surgery, diagnosis, procedure details, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications were recorded. Preoperative and postoperative computer tomographic scans were reviewed to determine laminar measurements and containment, respectively. RESULTS: In total, 39 C2 translaminar screws were placed in 23 patients that met our inclusion criteria. The mean age was 12.6 years (range, 5.2 to 17.8 y) with a mean of 2 levels fused (range, 1 to 6). Diagnoses included 7 patients with instability related to skeletal dysplasia, 6 os odontoideum, 4 congenital deformities, 3 basilar invaginations, 2 cervical spine tumors, and 1 fracture. Indications for C2 translaminar screws included 14 cases with distorted anatomy favoring C2 translaminar screws, 6 cases without explicit reasoning for translaminar screw usage in the patient records, and 3 cases with intraoperative vertebral artery injury (1 sacrificed secondary to tumor load and 2 others injured during exposure because of anomalous anatomy). The vertebral artery injuries were not due to placement of any instrumentation. There were no screw-related intraoperative or postoperative complications and no neurological injuries. All patients demonstrated clinical union or healing on follow-up with no episodes of nonunion. CONCLUSIONS: Translaminar C2 screw fixation can be reliably used in the pediatric population. Our series contained no screw-related complications, no neurological injuries, and all patients demonstrated clinical union or healing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-Case series.

Halo-gravity traction for the treatment of pediatric cervical spine disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Halo-gravity traction (HGT) is an effective and safe method for gradual correction of severe cervical deformities in adults. However, the literature is limited on the use of HGT for cervical spine deformities that develop in children. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HGT for pediatric cervical spine deformities. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (18 females) whose mean age was 11.3 ± 5.58 years (range 2-24.9 years) underwent HGT. Common indications included kyphosis (n = 12), rotatory subluxation (n = 7), and basilar invagination (n = 6). Three children (11%) received traction to treat severe occipitocervical instability. For these 3 patients, traction combined with a halo vest, with bars attached rigidly to the vest, but with the ability to slide through the connections to the halo crown, was used to guide the corrective forces and moments in a specific and controlled manner. Patients ambulated with a wheelchair or halo walker under constant traction. Imaging was done before and during traction to evaluate traction efficacy. The modified Clavien-Dindo-Sink classification was used to categorize complications. RESULTS: The mean duration of HGT was 25 days (IQR 13-29 days), and the mean traction was 29% ± 13.0% of body weight (IQR 19%-40% of body weight). The mean kyphosis improved from 91° ± 20.7° (range 64°-122°) to 56° ± 17.6° (range 32°-96°) during traction and corresponded to a mean percentage kyphosis correction of 38% ± 13.8% (range 21%-57%). Twenty-five patients (89%) underwent surgical stabilization, and 3 patients (11%) had rotatory subluxation that was adequately reduced by traction and were treated with a halo vest as their definitive treatment. The mean hospital stay was 35 days (IQR 17-43 days).Nine complications (32%) occurred: 8 grade I complications (28%), including 4 cases of superficial pin-site infection (14%) and 4 cases of transient paresthesia (14%). One grade II complication (4%) was seen in a child with Down syndrome and a preexisting neurological deficit; this patient developed flaccid paralysis that rapidly resolved with weight removal. Six cases (21%) of temporary neck discomfort occurred as a sequela of a preexisting condition and resolved without treatment within 24-48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: HGT in children is safe and effective for the gradual correction of cervical kyphosis, atlantoaxial subluxation, basilar invagination, and os odontoideum. Cervical traction is an additional tool for the pediatric spine surgeon if uncertainties exist that the spinal alignment required for internal fixation and deformity correction can be safely achieved surgically. Common complications included grade I complications such as superficial pin-site infections and transient paresthesias. Halo vest gravity traction may be warranted in patients with baseline neurological deficits and severe occipitocervical instability to reduce the chance of catastrophic movement.

Surgical Fixation Using Screw-Rod Construct Instrumentation for Upper Cervical Instability in Pediatric Down Syndrome Patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. OBJECTIVES: To describe the indications and outcomes of cervical fixation using modern instrumentation in a case series of pediatric Down syndrome (DS) patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cervical instability is the major cervical spine concern in children with DS. Although fixation techniques have advanced over the past quarter-century, the outcome of fixation with modern instrumentation for upper cervical instability in DS patients has not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS: We searched the orthopedic database at our institution for patients with a diagnosis of DS who had undergone a cervical spine fusion between 2006 and 2017. Patient demographics, diagnoses, surgical indications, surgical details, and complications were recorded. Preoperative imaging was reviewed to determine atlanto-dens intervals and spinal cord signal changes. Postoperative radiographs or CT scans were reviewed to determine union. RESULTS: Twelve DS patients met our inclusion criteria. The mean age at surgery was 9.3 years (range 3.8-18.8 years). Patients with secondary causes of instability included 7 patients with os odontoideum and 1 patient with a pars fracture. Three patients (25%) were identified on asymptomatic screening, with none of these having cord signal changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Modern implants (screws, plates, cages) were used in every patient in our series. The mean number of levels fused was 1.9 (range 1-5). The overall complication rate was 41.7% (5/12). Four patients required repeat surgery for nonunion. All patients with adequate radiographic follow-up demonstrated union (11/11, 100%). One patient was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Fixation for cervical instability is a critical component of the management of DS. A minority of patients receiving surgery were identified through asymptomatic screening. There was a high complication risk associated with surgery in our study; however, the addition of rigid fixation has lessened the complication rate compared with previous studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Implementing a Multidisciplinary Clinical Pathway Can Reduce the Deep Surgical Site Infection Rate After Posterior Spinal Fusion in High-Risk Patients.

DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to measure SSI outcomes before and after implementation of our center's multidisciplinary clinical pathway protocol for high-risk spinal surgery. BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) after spinal fusion harm patients and are associated with significant health care costs. Given the high rate of SSI in neuromuscular populations, there is a rationale to develop infection prevention strategies. METHODS: An institutional clinical pathway was created in 2012 and based on nationally published Best Practice Guidelines as well as hospital practices with a goal of reducing the rate of deep SSI in high-risk patients. Patient and procedure characteristics were compared prior to (2008-2011) and after (2012-2016) implementation of the pathway. Logistic regression using penalized maximum likelihood was used to assess differences in rate of infection before and after implementation. RESULTS: Cohorts of 132 and 115 high-risk patients were analyzed before and after pathway implementation. Rate of deep infections decreased from 8% to 1% of patients (p = .005). Preoperative antibiotics were dosed within 1 hour in 90% of the postpathway cohort. Redosing was successful in 94% of patients for first redose and 79% for second redose. Betadine irrigation was used in 76% of cases and vancomycin administered in 86%. Multivariable analysis determined that instances of compliant antibiotics dosing had 63% lower odds of infection compared with instances of noncompliance (p = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multidisciplinary pathway aimed to reduce infection in patients at high risk for SSI after spinal fusion led to a significant reduction in deep SSI rate. It is impossible to attribute the drop in the deep SSI rate to any one factor. Our results demonstrate that adherence to a protocol using multiple strategies to reduce infection results in a lower SSI rate, lower care costs, and improved patient-related outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Nonsurgical Management of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Pediatric patient visits for spinal deformity are common. Most of these visits are for nonsurgical management of scoliosis, with approximately 600,000 visits for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) annually. Appropriate management of scoliotic curves that do not meet surgical indication parameters is essential. Renewed enthusiasm for nonsurgical management of AIS (eg, bracing, physical therapy) exists in part because of the results of the Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial, which is the only randomized controlled trial available on the use of bracing for AIS. Bracing is appropriate for idiopathic curves between 20° and 40°, with successful control of these curves reported in >70% of patients. Patient adherence to the prescribed duration of wear is essential to maximize the effectiveness of the brace. The choice of brace type must be individualized according to the deformity and the patient's personality as well as the practice setting and brace availability.