Severe Rigid Scoliosis: Review of Management Strategies and Role of Spinal Osteotomies

Severe rigid curves pose a considerable challenge to the treating spine surgeon. In our practice, approximately 30%–40% of patients with scoliosis present late with severe rigid scoliosis (>90° and <30% correction on bending films). Controversy still exists with regard to the ideal surgical strategy for correcting these rigid curves. Rigid scoliosis often presents in the form of either sharp angular or rounded deformities. Rounded deformities can be effectively managed with an anterior release to loosen the apex and posterior instrumentation (with osteotomies, if required). In contrast, severe rigid scoliosis, which is a sharp angular deformity, is not very amenable to anterior release and is best managed by posterior-only vertebral column resection and posterior instrumentation.

Clinical observation on the treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation based on the classification / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To retrospectively analyze the surgical methods and its clinical effects and explore a clinical classification and treatment strategy for atlantoaxial dislocation(AAD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 89 patients with atlantoaxial dislocation were analyzed from September 2005 to September 2013. There were 49 males and 40 females, aged from 13 to 67 years with an average of 48.1 years. According to the reductive effects with preoperative cervical dynamic radiograph and high weight skeletal traction under general anesthesia, the dislocations were classified into three types:easy reduction type, hard reduction type and irreducible type. The patients with easy reduction type were treated with posterior screw rod internal fixation after manual reduction, while the patients with hard reduction type were treated with posterior screw rod fixation after high weight skeletal traction reduction under general anesthesia. The patients with irreducible type were treated with transoral atlantoaxial joint release or depression and posterior internal fixation and fusion. According to JOA scores to evaluate the neurological status and treatment outcome.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty patients were classified as easy reduction type, 55 patients as hard reduction type, and 4 patients as irreducible type. The preoperative JOA score was 8.2±3.1 on average, while the postoperative score was 14.2±2.4. The improvement rate was 40.1% to 82.5% with an average of 62.5%. Eighty nine patients were followed up from 6 to 37 months with a mean of 17.3 months. Eighty two cases obtained anatomical reduction and 85 cases obtained bony fusion. One case complicated with hyponatremia after operation and 1 case combined with Guillain-Barre syndrome, 4 cases complicated with delayed union wounds, 1 case died of for respiratory failure 2 years after operation. No wound infections were found in the patients approach for transoral operation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>According to the cervical dynamic radiograph and high weight skeletal traction under general anesthesia to classify for atlantoaxial dislocation, and adopting well strategies to treat the patients, can achieve satisfactory effects.</p>

Anterior Release and Fusion followed by Posterior Correction in Scoliosis: A Comparison of Open Thoracotomy and the Thoracoscopic Approach / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To compare the results of the thoracoscopic approach and open thoracotomy retrospectively for scoliosis requiring anterior release and fusion followed by posterior correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 22 rigid scoliosis patients, 10 open thoracotomy cases (group I) were compared with 12 thoracoscopic cases (group II) in terms of blood loss, operation time, and chest pain (visual analogue scale, VAS), as checked 1 week after operation and final follow-up, correction ratio of major curve and complications. Posterior correction was performed 2 weeks after anterior release. Statistical analysis of group differences was performed using the t-test or the Mann-Whitney. RESULTS: Blood loss was higher in group I, 268.0 mL (200-530) than in group II, 195.0 mL (100-280) (p=0.047). The operation time was shorter in group I, 108.0 minutes (90-180) than in group II, 175.0 minutes (120-240) (p=0.001), and chest pain (visual analogue scale, VAS) which was checked at 1 week after operation and at final follow-up was milder in group II, 3.9 (3-6), 1.6 (0-3) than in group I, 5.8 (4-8), 3.1 (1-5) (p=0.005, p=0.013, respectively). The correction ratios of the major curve between two groups were similar. The cosmetic aspects of the thoracoscopic approach were favorable. The postoperative complications were 1 pneumothorax in each group and 3 chronic chest pain in group I. CONCLUSIONS: The results of thoracoscopic approach for anterior release were compared favorably with standard open thoracotomy in terms of blood loss, chest pain both postoperatively and at final follow-up, and cosmetics, but unfavorably for operation time.