Congenital scoliosis: a frontal plane evaluation of 251 operated patients 14 years old or older at follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital scoliosis, carrying an incidence between 0.5 and 1 per 1000 births, raise the problem of their evolutive potential. HYPOTHESIS: Some predictive factors for the evolution of scoliotic curvature due to congenital vertebral malformation (CVM) can be found. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective multicenter study of 251 patients, at least 14 years old when evaluated at end of follow-up, with CVM and spinal deformity predominating in the frontal plane. RESULTS: 38.8% of patients showed associated neurologic, visceral or orthopedic abnormalities. CVM was single in 60.6%, double in 20.3%, triple in 6.4% and multiple in 12.7% of cases. 34.1% of CVMs were thoracic. Congenital scoliosis curvature was single in 88.8% of patients, double in 10% and triple in 1.2%. Mean curvature angle was 31.7° at diagnosis (range, 0-105°) and 41.3° preoperatively (range, 10-105°). Sixty-one patients showed associated kyphosis. Mean change in postoperative curvature angle over follow-up was 1.6° (range, -20° to 38°) in the 73 patients managed by arthrodesis, -0.4° (-24° to 30°) in the 64 managed by epiphysiodesis, and 0.4° (-18° to 35°) in the 49 managed by hemivertebral (HV) resection. Results were found to correlate significantly with age at surgery for patients managed by epiphysiodesis, but not for those managed by HV resection or arthrodesis. DISCUSSION: More than 30% of congenital scolioses involve associated intraspinal abnormality. All CVM patients should therefore undergo medullary and spinal MRI to assess the CVM in all three planes, and the medullary canal and its content. The evolution of scoliotic curvature induced by CVM is hard to predict. Several factors are to be taken into account: CVM type, number and location, and patient age. Curvature progression may be slow or very fast. It accelerates during the peak of puberty, stabilizing with bone maturity. Surgery is mandatory in evolutive scoliosis. Four procedures may be recommended, according to type of CVM and especially to patient age: arthrodesis, convex epiphysiodesis, HV resection or rib distraction. Surgery seeks to correct the spinal deformity induced by the CVM and prevent compensatory curvature and neurologic complications, while conserving sagittal and frontal spinal balance and sparing as many levels as possible. In case of HV involvement, the procedure of choice is CVM resection, which provides 87.5% good results in this indication; the procedure is relatively safe, conservative of spinal levels, and without age limit. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV. Retrospective study.

[Posterior spinal fusion for kypho-scoliosis associated with osteogenesis imperfecta: long-term results]. / Résultats des arthrodèses vertébrales postérieures dans les scolioses secondaires à une ostéogenèse imparfaite.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: A survey was conducted at the Necker-Enfants-Malades Hospital in Paris and the Roscoff Helio-Marin Center in Roscoff, France to document results of posterior spinal fusion for scoliosis associated with osteogenesis imperfecta. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cases of 27 patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion and Harrington (n = 2) or CD (n = 23) instrumentation performed by one senior orthopedic surgeon were reviewed. Two patients had posterior arthrodesis without instrumentation and were left in halo-traction together with a plaster cast until bone healing was achieved. RESULTS: The series included eleven males and sixteen females. Mean age at fusion was 13 y 4 m. The average curvature before surgery was 77 degrees and the average correction was 37 degrees. Mean follow-up was six years. Minor complications due to halo pin infection or migration were observed in two patients and loss of correction with rod fracture in four. DISCUSSION: Because of the risk of physical and respiratory incapacity, we believe that spinal surgery and arthrodesis for spinal deformity should be considered after a preparation period by halo-traction with exceptional precautions to correct major curves and prevent complications that could occur in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. Correction and stabilization of the scoliotic spine in osteogenesis imperecta has yet to be definitively described since we have noticed that the site of deformation is transferred to the sacroiliac region once spinal fusion is achieved.

[Treatment of phalangeal neck fractures in children: technical suggestion]. / Traitement des fractures des cols des phalanges à grand déplacement chez l'enfant: proposition technique.

INTRODUCTION: Phalangeal neck fractures in children are not very frequent lesions. The purpose of this study is to bring out results of treatment of these fractures and provide an adequate procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with 24 phalangeal neck fractures were reviewed. Seventeen boys and six girls with a mean age of 7 years and 6 months. Open wound fractures were noted in 13 cases. A direct trauma was noted in 17 cases and an indirect trauma in seven cases. Treatment consisted of a closed reduction and cast immobilization in four cases. A closed reduction and percutaneous pinning in seven cases. Open reduction and osteosynthesis in 13 cases. RESULTS: All patients were reviewed with a mean follow-up of 16 months and functional results were evaluated by measuring the Total Active Motion. Fractures treated orthopedically (4) gave Good results; percutaneous pinning (seven cases) gave one Poor, one Fair and five Good results; open reduction and osteosynthesis gave zero Good, six Fair and seven Poor results. Phalangeal head osteonecrosis was noted in four cases treated by open reduction. DISCUSSION: Closed reduction and percutaneous treatment of these fractures give the best functional results. This study demonstrates that open surgical reduction of these fractures leads to phalangeal head osteonecrosis and poor functional result. We propose here a technical improvement of percutaneous reduction with intrafocal pining and osteosynthesis. CONCLUSION: This technical improvement of percutaneous reduction and pinning allow to combine the advantages of a closed reduction and to avoid distal epiphyseal necrosis.