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STUDY DESIGN: prospective multicenter study. OBJECTIVES: Active apex correction (APC) is posterior tethering technique for correction of early onset scoliosis (EOS) via reverse modulation at the apex. Active apex correction has been increasingly used worldwide. This study aimed to assess short-term outcomes of multicenter study with ≥2 years of APC on spine length, curve correction, complications, unplanned surgeries, and proposed low crankshaft phenomena incidence. METHODS: Prospective multicenter study including 24 EOS patients treated by APC; involves inserting and compressing pedicle screws on convex side of apex proximal and distal to most wedged vertebra allowing apex modulation according to Hueter-Volkmann law. Excluded patients with <2 years follow-up whom APC was not primary surgery. RESULTS: Mean age 85.97 ± 32.43 months, 71% congenital scoliosis, mean follow-up 35.54 ± 12.36 months. At final follow-up, statistically significant improvement in Cobbs angle (∆ = 23.96%, P < .0001), spinal length T1-T12 (∆ = 12.83%, P < .0001), T1-L5 (∆ = 13.41%, P < .0001) but not in apical vertebral translation (AVT) albeit clinical improvement (∆ = 7.9%, P = .36) compared to preoperative measurements. Comparing immediate postoperative measurements to >2 years follow-up, statistically significant improvement in spinal length T1-T12 (∆ = 6.03%, P = .0002) and T1-L5 (∆ = 6.26%, P < .0001) but not in Cobbs angle (∆ = 4.93%, P = .3) or AVT (∆ = 14.77%, P = .25). 9 complications requiring 3 unplanned surgeries recorded in all patients including 2 broken rods, 2 adding-on and 4 screw dislodgement. CONCLUSION: Active apex correction is a novel technique that has been incorporated in several countries as treatment modality for EOS. Short-term outcomes are promising in terms of clinical improvement, complication rates and decreased need for multiple operations or unplanned surgeries.
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INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis A virus infections are mostly asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and generally this disease has a benign course and resolves spontaneously. However, intrahepatic and rarer extrahepatic manifestations can complicate typical cases of acute hepatitis. Pleural effusion is an extremely rare extrahepatic entity with 20 cases reported in literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We report herein a recent case of both pleural effusion and ascites accompanying hepatitis A infection in a 5-year-old middle eastern child, diagnosed using serological testing and imaging studies, who was treated with supportive management with full resolution after 2 weeks. In addition, we review available literature regarding hepatitis A virus associated with pleural effusion using PubMed and summarize all reported cases in a comprehensive table. RESULTS: Literature contains 20 reported cases of serology-confirmed hepatitis A virus presenting with pleural effusion, most in the pediatric population with average age at presentation of 9 years 8 months. The majority of reported patients had right-sided pleural effusion (50%) or bilateral effusion (45%), while only 5% presented with pleural effusion on the left side. Hepatomegaly and ascites occurred concurrently in 80% and 70% respectively. Supportive treatment without invasive procedures (except one chylothorax case) yielded complete recovery in 95% of cases, while only one case progressed to fulminant liver failure followed by death. CONCLUSION: Acute hepatitis A virus rarely presents with pleural effusion, usually following a benign course with spontaneous resolution in most patients. Pleural effusion does not change the prognosis or require any invasive treatment. Thus, further invasive procedures are not recommended and would only complicate this self-resolving benign condition.
