ABSTRACT
Prune belly syndrome is a relatively uncommon disorder that is characterized by intrauterine urinary obstruction associated with cryptorchisdism, oligohydramnios, and orthopaedic deformations. The oligohydramnios is believed to produce limited intrauterine space, which in turn leads to fetal compression and the resultant deformities. The deformities observed in our patients were developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH), clubfeet, metatarsus adductus, vertical talus, and congenital muscular torticollis. These deformations should be treated aggressively because children with prune belly syndrome may be expected to have a relatively normal life if their renal function is good. The one exception is that as infants these children are very susceptible to pulmonary infections because of their inability to cough. Therefore, treatment of the hip and other deformations should be delayed until the children are old enough to be able to clear pulmonary secretions easily.
Subject(s)
Clubfoot/surgery , Foot Deformities, Congenital/surgery , Hip Dislocation, Congenital/surgery , Prune Belly Syndrome/surgery , Torticollis/surgery , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Orthopedic Fixation Devices , Postoperative Complications/surgery , Reoperation , TractionABSTRACT
In a review of 22 patients with unstable fractures or fracture-dislocations of the thoracolumbar spine, treated by Harrington rod instrumentation and spinal arthrodesis, all arthrodeses became solid. All patients with incomplete neurologic lesions regained some function. No patient was made neurologically worse by the procedure. Solid arthrodesis was achieved whether laminectomy was performed or not. Harrington rods offer a method of reduction of compression fractures, offer partial stability to the spine, and serve as an adjunct to spine arthrodesis.
