Surgical and conservative treatment of patients with congenital scoliosis: α search for long-term results

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In view of the limited data available on the conservative treatment of patients with congenital scoliosis (CS), early surgery is suggested in mild cases with formation failures. Patients with segmentation failures will not benefit from conservative treatment. The purpose of this review is to identify the mid- or long-term results of spinal fusion surgery in patients with congenital scoliosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Retrospective and prospective studies were included, reporting on the outcome of surgery in patients with congenital scoliosis. Studies concerning a small numbers of cases treated conservatively were included too. We analyzed mid-term (5 to 7 years) and long-term results (7 years or more), both as regards the maintenance of the correction of scoliosis and the safety of instrumentation, the early and late complications of surgery and their effect on quality of life.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A small number of studies of surgically treated patients were found, contained follow-up periods of 4-6 years that in the most cases, skeletal maturity was not yet reached, and few with follow-up of 36-44 years. The results of bracing in children with congenital scoliosis, mainly in cases with failure of formation, were also studied.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Spinal surgery in patients with congenital scoliosis is regarded in short as a safe procedure and should be performed. On the other hand, early and late complications are also described, concerning not only intraoperative and immediate postoperative problems, but also the safety and efficacy of the spinal instrumentation and the possibility of developing neurological disorders and the long-term effect these may have on both lung function and the quality of life of children.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Few cases indicate the long-term results of surgical techniques, in the natural progression of scoliosis. Similarly, few cases have been reported on the influence of conservative treatment.</p> <p>In conclusion, patients with segmentation failures should be treated surgically early, according to the rate of deformity formation and certainly before the pubertal growth spurt to try to avoid cor- pulmonale, even though there is lack of evidence for that in the long-term. Furthermore, in patients with formation failures, further investigation is needed to document where a conservative approach would be necessary.</p

Surgical correction of scoliosis in children with congenital heart failure (Fontan circulation): case report and literature review

Patients with Fontan circulation represent a significant cardiorespiratory risk during spinal surgery. We report about two patients with severe scoliosis and Fontan circulation and their successful operative treatment. The case report will be compared with the national and international literature

O que eu não faço mais na cirurgia da coluna vertebral: pesquisa entre cirurgiões de coluna brasileiros Lo que no hago más en la cirugía de la coluna vertebral: encuesta entre cirujanos brasileños de la columna What i stopped doing in spinal surgery: survey among brazilian spinal surgeons

OBJETIVO: Apresentar o resultado de pesquisa realizada entre 257 cirurgiões de coluna sobre os principais procedimentos cirúrgicos que não são mais utilizados para o tratamento das doenças traumáticas, degenerativas e deformidades da coluna vertebral. MÉTODO: Os participantes da pesquisa responderam a um questionário abrangendo o tratamento das diferentes doenças traumáticas, degenerativas e deformidades dos segmentos cervical, torácico e lombar, sendo que cada quesito apresentava três opções de resposta: não faço mais, nunca utilizei e ainda utilizo. RESULTADOS: Os cirurgiões entrevistados eram oriundos de 22 estados brasileiros, 97% eram do sexo masculino com idade variando de 28 a 72 anos de idade (média 43,16 anos ±11,54 anos), e com 0 a 23 anos de atuação na área da cirurgia da coluna vertebral. A formação básica dos cirurgiões entrevistados era Ortopedia em 78,2% e Neurocirurgia em 20,2%. CONCLUSÃO: A avaliação das respostas dos questionários evidencia a mudança de atitude terapêutica e abandono de técnicas classicamente utilizadas no tratamento das doenças da coluna vertebral, influência da formação básica do cirurgião na escolha do tratamento das doenças da coluna vertebral e grande espectro de opções terapêuticas entre os cirurgiões entrevistados considerando o tempo de experiência na área de atuação, idade e formação básica.<br>OBJETIVO: Presentar el resultado de la encuesta realizada entre 257 cirujanos de columna sobre los principales procedimientos quirúrgicos que no se utilizan más para el tratamiento de las enfermedades traumáticas, degenerativas y las deformidades de la columna vertebral. MÉTODO: Los participantes en la encuesta respondieron a un cuestionario que abarcó el tratamiento de las diversas enfermedades traumáticas, degenerativas y las deformidades de los segmentos cervical, torácico y lumbar, siendo que cada pregunta presentaba tres opciones de respuesta: no hago más, nunca utilicé y todavía uso. RESULTADOS: los cirujanos entrevistados eran residentes en 22 Estados brasileños, 97% eran del sexo masculino, de edades que variaban de 28 a 72 años (promedio 43,16 años ±11,54 años), y tenían de 0 a 23 años de actuación en el área de la cirugía de la columna vertebral. Las especialidades básicas de los cirujanos entrevistados eran Ortopedia 78,2% y Neurocirugía 20,2%. CONCLUSIÓN: La evaluación de las respuestas a los cuestionarios, evidencia el cambio de actitud terapéutica y el abandono de técnicas utilizadas clásicamente en el tratamiento de las enfermedades de la columna vertebral, señala la influencia de la especialidad básica del cirujano en la selección del tratamiento de las enfermedades de la columna vertebral y el gran espectro de opciones terapéuticas entre los cirujanos entrevistados, considerando el tiempo de experiencia en el área de actuación, la edad y la especialidad básica.<br>OBJECTIVE: To present the results of a survey among 257 spine surgeons on the main surgical procedures that are no longer used to treat spinal trauma, degenerative spinal disease and spinal deformities. METHOD: The survey participants answered a questionnaire covering the treatment of different traumatic and degenerative diseases and deformities of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments, and each question had three response options: I don't do it anymore, I have never did it and I still do it. RESULTS: The interviewed surgeons came from 22 Brazilians states, 97% were male with age ranging from 28 to 72 years (mean age 43.16 years ±11.54 years), with 0-23 years of experience in spinal surgery. The basic training of the surveyed surgeons was 78.2% in Orthopedics and 20.2% in Neurosurgery. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of responses to the suvey emphasizes the change in therapeutic attitude and the abandonment of techniques classically utilized in the treatment of spinal diseases, the influence of the surgeon basic training in the treatment choice for spinal diseases and the wide spectrum of therapeutic options among the interviewed surgeons considering the time of experience in the area, age and basic training