Surgical treatment for scoliosis.: Five-year monitoring and control

Background: We undertook this study to determine the surgical treatment results often performed to correct scoliosis in the Spinal Surgery Service in the INR/Orthopedics (National Institute of Rehabilitation/Orthopedics), Mexico City. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal, prospective, descriptive, and clinical study with a deliberate intervention controlled from a historical cohort. One hundred twenty patients with scoliosis were reviewed in whom surgery was performed during 1990-1999. For quantitative variables, pre-vs. postoperative measures were compared using non-parametric means with.2 or with ANOVA using Kruskall-Wallis test. Differences are considered significant when p < 0.05. Results: Age average of patients was 12 years. There were 75 females and 45 males. There were 59 idiopathic scoliosis cases and 54 congenital scoliosis cases. Anterior approach was accomplished in 61 cases with posterior fixation. Posterior approach was used in 54 cases. There were 76 cases of Luque segmentcal instrumentation. Preoperatively, scoliosis was ranked (18 to 110) and postoperatively (5 to 90) (p = 0.0000). There were 21 complications, 9 due to injuries or infection. In 76 patients, different fixation techniques were used, obtaining a correction average of 14.47. Forty four patients were structured with bars, four distal screws, two compression screws, and proximal hooks with sublaminar wire. The angle was reduced on average 23.11 degrees. Conclusions. Average reduction of scoliosis was higher with the modified Luque III instrumentation (p < 0.045). There was no difference between etiology and preoperative angle.