This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Surgical-site infection rates higher with growing-rod surgery than standard spinal fusion
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
When compared with standard pediatric spinal fusion, growing-rod surgery for early-onset scoliosis was shown to have a higher rate of deep surgical-site infection.
Researchers retrospectively reviewed data from a multicenter international database for 379 patients treated with growing-rod surgery and followed for a minimum of 2 years. They defined deep surgical infection as any infection requiring surgical intervention.
Of the 379 patients followed, 42 developed at least one deep surgical-site infection. Patients’ mean age at initial surgery was 6.3 years, and mean follow-up duration was 5.3 years. Mean duration of time between surgery and development of surgical-site infection was 2.8 years.
Infection developed before the first lengthening procedure in 10 patients, whereas 29 developed infection during the course of lengthening procedures and three developed infection after final fusion surgery, according to the researchers.
Infection was treated with total implant removal in 13 patients and with partial implant removal in nine patients.
Nonambulatory patients were more likely to have an infection, according to the researchers. Larger number of revisions and stainless-steel implants were also found to increase the risk of deep surgical-site infection. After eight revisions, the chance for an infection increased by 50%.
The researchers concluded that total removal of an implant should be a last resort, and the best option is for the treatment to continue instead of a premature spinal fusion.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts