Clinically apparent adverse reactions to intra-wound vancomycin powder in early onset scoliosis are rare.

PURPOSE: Spine surgeons have increasingly used intraoperative application of topical vancomycin powder (TVP) to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs). The goals of this study were to define the rate of pharmacological adverse reaction to TVP in young patients undergoing posterior spinal surgery and to summarise institutional variation in TVP dosing. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included ten spine centres in the United States and one in Europe. Patients with early onset scoliosis who underwent posterior spine surgery were eligible for inclusion. Age, weight, TVP dose and surgery type were recorded. Surgeries where patient age was > 12 years were excluded. Pharmacological adverse reactions were defined as clinical instances of Red Man Syndrome, rash, nephrotoxicity, proteinuria, hepatotoxicity or ototoxicity. The rate of pharmacological adverse reaction to TVP was calculated. Dosing practices were summarised. RESULTS: Patient age was in the range of seven months to 12 years (median ten years). Of 1398 observations, there was one possible pharmacological adverse reaction. This was in a ten-year-old, 20.4-kg female patient with neuromuscular sco-liosis undergoing growing rod implantation. She was dosed with 1500 mg of TVP and immediately developed a transient rash without systemic symptoms. This abated over minutes without any medical intervention. There were no other adverse reactions in the sample. The population rate of pharmacological adverse reaction was 0.072% (95% confidence interval 0 to 0.4). Significant variability in dosing practices existed between centres. CONCLUSION: Pharmacological adverse reactions to TVP are rare. Future work may establish evidence-based guidelines for TVP dosing based on patient weight and other variables.

Manejo actual de la escoliosis de aparición precoz / Current management of the early onset scoliosis

En los últimos años, el avance en nuevas técnicas quirúrgicas y no quirúrgicas, y el reconocimiento de la trascendencia de preservar la cavida torácica, h an llevado a que el pronóstico de los niños con escoliosis de aparición preco hay mejorado sustancialmente. Los corsés de yeso pueden indicarse en niños que presentan progresión de la deformidad raquídea y curvas menores de 601, a los que no se ha realizado tratamiento quirúrgico previo. Los tallos de crecimiento han probado su eficacia en el control de las curvas, permitiendo a la vez el crecimiento de la columna vertebral. Los tallos de crecimiento electromagnéticos suponen una opción muy prometedora, al evitar las múltiples cirugías a las que se tiene que someter el paciente con los tallos convencionales. El VEPTR está indicado en aquellos pacientes que presentan una escoliosis congénita con fusiones costales y síndrome de insuficiencia torácica asociado. En el caso de niños no tributarios de elongaciones repetidas por sus comorbilidades se puede optar por una técnica Shilla o trolley de Luque. La modulación del crecimiento utilizando grapas de memoria o tirantes empieza a ser una realidad (AU)

In recent years, advances in surgical and non-surgical techniques and comprehension of the importance of preserving the thoracic space has drastically improved the prognosis of children with early onset scoliosis. Casting can be considered in children with curves <60º and documented progression without previous surical treatment. Growing rods have proven to be effective in curve control, preserving at the same time spine growth. Magnetically driven growing rods have shown promising results, avoiding the multiple surgical procedures associated to conventional growing rods. VEPTR seems to be beneficial for patients with congenital scoliosis and fused ribs and thoracic insufficiency syndrome. Children with medical comorbidities who may not tolerate repeated lengthenings should be considered for Shilla or Luque Trolley technique. Growth modulation using SMA staples or other tethers is gradually becomin reality (AU)

Novedades en displasias óseas / Advances in bone dysplasias

La prevalencia de las displasias óseas se calcula en un caso por cada 1.000 habitantes, lo que evidencia que, en algún momento de la trayectoria profesional de un especialista en cirugía ortopédica, se encontrará ante un paciente afecto por ellas. El objetivo de este trabajo es revisar los aspectos generales de las displasias óseas y centrarnos en las que, por su frecuencia e importancia, hemos considerado más destacadas (acondroplasia, displasia epifisaria múltiple, displasia espondiloepifisaria y osteogénesis imperfecta), revisando sus características fundamentales y los últimos avances terapéuticos. No existe tratamiento curativo para estas enfermedades, por lo que el diagnóstico precoz y el manejo terapéutico adecuado se convierten en la clave para mejorar la calidad de vida de estos pacientes (AU)

The prevalence of bone dysplasias is estimated to be one case per 1,000 inhabitants, which suggests that, at some point in the career of an orthopaedic surgeon, he will face with one of these patients. The aim of this paper is to review the general aspects of bone dysplasias and focus on those, which due to their frequency and importance, we consider most relevant (achondroplasia, multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, osteogenesis imperfecta), reviewing their fundamental features and the latest therapeutic advances. There is no cure for these diseases, so early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic management, becomes the key to improving quality of life of these patients (AU)

[Advances in bone dysplasias]. / Novedades en displasias óseas.

The prevalence of bone dysplasias is estimated to be one case per 1,000 inhabitants, which suggests that, at some point in the career of an orthopaedic surgeon, he will face with one of these patients. The aim of this paper is to review the general aspects of bone dysplasias and focus on those, which due to their frequency and importance, we consider most relevant (achondroplasia, multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, osteogenesis imperfecta), reviewing their fundamental features and the latest therapeutic advances. There is no cure for these diseases, so early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic management, becomes the key to improving quality of life of these patients.

Escoliosis de aparición precoz. ¿Qué opciones tengo? / Early onset scoliosis. What are the options?

El pronóstico de los ni˜nos con escoliosis de aparición precoz progresiva ha mejorado considerablemente gracias a los recientes avances en las técnicas quirúrgicas y no quirúrgicas, y al reconocimiento de la trascendencia de preservar la cavidad torácica. La mejora de técnicas ya existentes y el desarrollo de otras nuevas han modificado sustancialmente el tratamiento de esta entidad. Los yesos derrotatorios pueden indicarse en ni˜nos con curvas < 60◦ y progresión constatada, a los que no se ha realizado tratamiento quirúrgico previo. Tanto los tallos de crecimiento únicos como dobles son eficaces, aunque los últimos parecen ofrecer un mejor resultado. Los sistemas híbridos se plantean como mejor opción en ni˜nos que requieren un anclaje proximal con un perfil bajo. El vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR®) puede ser útil en pacientes que presentan escoliosis congénita con fusiones costales y síndrome de insuficiencia torácica asociado. Los ni˜nos no tributarios de elongaciones repetidas por sus comorbilidades pueden ser candidatos a una técnica de Shilla o trolley de Luque. La modulación del crecimiento utilizando grapas de memoria o tirantes resulta prometedora en curvas menores, aunque se requieren más trabajos para definir su indicación precisa (AU)

The prognosis of children with progressive early onset scoliosis has improved considerably due to recent advances in surgical and non-surgical techniques and the understanding of the importance of preserving the thoracic space. Improvements in existing techniques and development of new methods have considerably improved the management of this condition. Derotational casting can be considered in children with documented progression of a < 60◦ curve without previous surgical treatment. Both single and dual growing rods are effective, but the latter seem to offer better results. Hybrid constructs may be a better option in children who require a low-profile proximal anchor. The vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR®) appears to be beneficial for patients with congenital scoliosis and fused ribs, and thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome. Children with medical comorbidities who may not tolerate repeated lengthenings should be considered for Shilla or Luque Trolley technique. Growth modulation using shape memory alloy staples or other tethers seem promising for mild curves, although more research is required to define their precise indications (AU)

[Early onset scoliosis. What are the options?]. / Escoliosis de aparición precoz. ¿Qué opciones tengo?

The prognosis of children with progressive early onset scoliosis has improved considerably due to recent advances in surgical and non-surgical techniques and the understanding of the importance of preserving the thoracic space. Improvements in existing techniques and development of new methods have considerably improved the management of this condition. Derotational casting can be considered in children with documented progression of a <60° curve without previous surgical treatment. Both single and dual growing rods are effective, but the latter seem to offer better results. Hybrid constructs may be a better option in children who require a low-profile proximal anchor. The vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR(®)) appears to be beneficial for patients with congenital scoliosis and fused ribs, and thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome. Children with medical comorbidities who may not tolerate repeated lengthenings should be considered for Shilla or Luque Trolley technique. Growth modulation using shape memory alloy staples or other tethers seem promising for mild curves, although more research is required to define their precise indications.

[Bone mineral density in a population with severe infantile cerebral palsy]. / Densidad mineral ósea en la población con afectación severa por parálisis cerebral infantil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the bone mineral density (BMD) values in children and adolescents with moderate and severe infantile cerebral palsy (ICP) in our catchment area, and compare these values with a healthy population. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prognostic study of cases and controls for the assessment of BMD in patients from 2 to 18 years old with infantile cerebral palsy belonging to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Groups IV and V. The BMD measurements were performed at distal femur level, dividing this region into 3 areas following the forearm protocol. RESULTS: The BMD for each of the three areas studied results in the final sample of 69 patients were much lower than the reference levels. There was a statistically significant difference (P<.05) between the BMD values in the two sub-groups studied. DISCUSSION: The greater the involvement, from a neurological point of view, in patients classified as Group V shows a very low BMD compared to patients of similar sex and age. The acquisition of bone capital in patients with ICP does not follow the normal pattern of the healthy population.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis associated with peripheral osteoarticular tuberculosis.

We report a case of slipped capital femoral epiphysis that developed associated with a peripheral osteoarticular tuberculosis lesion located at the proximal metaphysis of the femur in contact with the growth plate in a 12-year-old boy. Multiple factors have been involved in slipped capital femoral epiphysis pathogenesis, but we believe an osteoarticular tuberculosis lesion is not a common finding as a possible etiological factor causing weakness of the growth plate and, therefore, the femoral head displacement.

Peripheral osteoarticular tuberculosis in children: tumor-like bone lesions.

Osteoarticular tuberculosis in children is rare in developed countries. We report three patients who were monitored between 3 1/2 years and 8 years. The primary focus was located in the distal epiphysis of the femur, distal epiphysis of the tibia, and the calcaneus. The lesions were initially radiolucent and ill defined, appearing afterward surrounded by a sclerosis halo; these features may disguise them as other infectious lesions or pseudotumoral processes. A poorly defined set of symptoms and a lack of specific signs may delay their diagnosis and treatment. Histopathological examination and culture identification are in the most accurate methods to reach a definitive diagnosis. Lesion scrapping and chemotherapy during sat least 9 months was effective in two patients.