Surgical management of proximal femoral unicameral bone cyst in children.

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the surgical treatment with the best healing rate for patients with proximal femoral unicameral bone cysts (UBCs) after initial surgery, and to determine which procedure has the lowest adverse event burden during follow-up. Methods: This multicentre retrospective study was conducted in 20 tertiary paediatric hospitals in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, and included patients aged < 16 years admitted for UBC treatment in the proximal femur from January 1995 to December 2017. UBCs were divided into seven groups based on the index treatment, which included elastic stable intramedullary nail (ESIN) insertion with or without percutaneous injection or grafting, percutaneous injection alone, curettage and grafting alone, and insertion of other orthopaedic hardware with or without curettage. Results: A total of 201 patients were included in the study. The mean age at diagnosis was 8.7 years (SD 3.9); 77% (n = 156) were male. The mean follow-up was 9.4 years (SD 3.9). ESIN insertion without complementary procedure had a 67% UBC healing rate after the first operation (vs 30% with percutaneous injection alone (p = 0.027), 43% with curettage and grafting (p = 0.064), and 21% with insertion of other hardware combined with curettage (p < 0.001) or 36% alone (p = 0.014)). ESIN insertion with percutaneous injection presented a 79% healing rate, higher than percutaneous injection alone (p = 0.017), curettage and grafting (p = 0.028), and insertion of other hardware combined with curettage (p < 0.001) or alone (p = 0.014). Patients who underwent ESIN insertion with curettage had a 53% healing rate, higher than insertion of other hardware combined with curettage (p = 0.009). The overall rate of postoperative complications was 25% and did not differ between groups (p = 0.228). A total of 32 limb length discrepancies were identified. Conclusion: ESIN insertion, either alone or combined with percutaneous injection or curettage and grafting, may offer higher healing rates than other operative procedures. Limb length discrepancy remains a major concern, and might be partly explained by the cyst's location and the consequence of surgery. Therefore, providing information about this risk is crucial.

Bivertebral pedicle-supralaminar autostable claw for proximal fixation of magnetic growing rods in early-onset scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: The various methods for the proximal fixation of magnetic growing rods in patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS) are associated with high rates of mechanical complications related to material failure or proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK). The bivertebral autostable claw (BAC) has been proven reliable in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis but has not been assessed when used with magnetic growing rods. The objective of this study was to describe the operative technique and outcomes of BAC proximal fixation of magnetic growing rods in children with EOS. HYPOTHESIS: The BAC provides stable and effective proximal fixation in children with early-onset scoliosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 24 patients who had surgery in 2015-2019 for early-onset scoliosis with magnetic growing rod implantation and BAC proximal fixation. Radiological variables were measured in the coronal and sagittal planes before surgery, during the early postoperative period (<3months) and at last follow-up (≥2years). RESULTS: No neurological complications were recorded. At last follow-up, four patients had radiological PJK, including one patient with clinical PJK due to material failure. DISCUSSION: BAC proximal fixation is both effective and sufficiently stable (4.2% pull-out) to withstand the forces applied during distraction sessions and daily activities in children with EOS. Moreover, the polyaxial connecting rods ensure better BAC adaptation to the local proximal kyphosis, which is often marked in this population. CONCLUSION: The BAC is a reliable proximal fixation device that is well-suited to magnetic growing rod fixation in children with EOS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective observational cohort study.