Study design: Retrospective Review of Prospective cohort.
Objective: To describe the feasibility of preoperative halo gravity traction (HGT) with subsequent growing rod/guided growth (GR/GG) placement in early onset spinal deformity (EOSD).
Summary of background data: In children with severe EOSD, primary implantation of GR/GG constructs is not always possible. We describe a staged protocol with preoperative HGT followed by GR/GG implantation.
Methods: EOSD patients treated with HGT prior to GR/GG implantation were included. HGT used traction up to 50% body weight for 4 to 29 weeks. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed before and after HGT. Coronal Cobb (CC) and Sagittal Cobb (SC) angles were measured on the Pre-HGT, Post-HGT and 6 week postop x-rays.
Results: Thirty patients were included. Average age at GR/GG implantation was 9 years. Most cases (n = 24, 80%) were idiopathic. Most pts had kyphoscoliosis (n = 16, 53.3%). Pre-HGT CC averaged 112 ± 22° and SC averaged 106 ± 26°. CC and SC improved 29% after HGT. There was a significant improvement in body mass index following HGT. CC improved further to 70 ± 14° (36% vs. pre-HGT) and SC to 63 ± 21° (41%) with GR/GG placement. HGT-related complications occurred in nine patients (30%); eight pin site infections, one cranial abscess. Most HGT complications were managed with local pin care and oral antibiotics. Halo revision was required in two pts (6.7%). There was no change in PFTs with HGT (P > 0.05). Averagely, 14 levels were spanned during GR/GG implantation; two patients required vertebral column resection. Surgical complications occurred in nine (30%) patients. At average 16 month follow-up, seven patients (23.3%) required reoperation.
Conclusion: Preoperative HGT can make severe EOSD curves amenable to GR/GG implantation. HGT results in ∼30% correction with improvement to ∼35-40% following GR/GG. HGT has a 30% complication rate but most are pin-site infections managed with pin-site care and oral antibiotics; 6.7% of patients require revision.
Level of evidence: 4.