Objective: To Analyze the therapeutic efficacy of all pedicle screws technique applied to the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis and evaluate its safety.
Methods: From June 2002 to October 2005, 56 patients with idiopathic scoliosis were treated with all pedicle screws technique, including 11 males and 45 females, ranging in age from 8 to 22 years. According to Lenke classification, 29 patients were Type 1, 6 patients were Type 2, 8 patients were Type 3, 2 patients were Type 4, 8 patients were Type 5, and 3 patients were Type 6. Cobb angles ranged from 45 degrees to 85 degrees (mean 62.45 degrees).
Results: The mean operation time was 3 hours and 20 minutes, and the average amount of bleeding was 600 ml. There were 425 pedicle screws inserted including 244 in thoracic, and 181 in lumbar, the positions of which were evaluated by CT. Nine screws were inserted with perforating through the medial wall of the pedicles. All the patients were followed up for 5 to 40 months (mean 22.5 months). The mean Cobb angle was corrected from 62 degrees preoperatively to 18 degrees postoperatively,and the average correction rate was 72.5%. No spinal nerves injury was found after operation, and superficial infection occurred in 2 patients but recovered after dressing change. All the patients got satisfactory spinal fusion and remained partly spinal mobility with fewer complications.
Conclusion: The application of all pedicles screws technique with familar with pedicular anatomy of scoliosis by imaging examination could gain a satisfactory effect of correction with less complications.