Early Complications in Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib and Magnetically Controlled Growing Rods to Manage Early Onset Scoliosis
Alejandro Peiró‐García, Jonathan Bourget-Murray, Isadora Suárez‐Lorenzo, Fábio Ferri-de-Barros, David Parsons
Abstract
<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> <h3>Objectives:</h3> The aim of this study is to examine whether surgical treatment of early onset scoliosis (EOS) with magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGRs) or a vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR) resulted in fewer short-term (24 months) complications and reoperations. <h3>Background:</h3> EOS is a challenging problem for spine surgeons that has been managed with different growth-friendly instrumentation systems. Although rib-based devices encourage spinal growth via regular lengthening, the high rate of complications and reoperations leads us to use spine-based devices such as MCGRs to mitigate this concern. <h3>Methods:</h3> A total of 35 EOS patients were included in the study. Twenty patients were included in the VEPTR group, and 15 patients were included in the MCGR group. Demographic data and 2 years of postoperative complications and reoperations were reviewed retrospectively. As secondary outcomes, radiographic outcomes were reported preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. Indications for this technique and complications were collected from the charts. <h3>Results:</h3> Demographic data showed no significant differences between the 2 groups. Significant differences were found in the complications rate at 2 years, with 65% complications in the VEPTR group and 13.3% complications in the MCGR group (<i>P</i> < .001). The reoperation rate at 2 years was also significantly higher in the VEPTR group, with 50% versus 13.3% in the MCGR group (<i>P</i> = .0009). As secondary outcomes, radiological parameters such as main curve Cobb angle correction (<i>P</i> = .001) and apical vertebral translation (<i>P</i> = .002) were significantly higher in the MCGR group. Significant differences were also found in sagittal profile parameters; T1-T12 and T1-S1 were significantly higher in the MCGR group (<i>P</i> < .001). <h3>Conclusions:</h3> According to our results, VEPTR has significantly higher complication and reoperation rates at 2 years postsurgery compared with MCGR. <h3>Level of Evidence:</h3> 4.