Original Study


Outcomes and complications of S2 alar iliac fixation technique in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis: experience in a third level pediatric hospital

Carlos Segundo Montero, David Alberto Meneses, Fernando Alvarado, Wilmer Godoy, Diana Isabel Rosero, Jose Manuel Ruiz

Abstract

Background: Multiple techniques are utilized for distal fixation in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis. Although there is evidence of benefit with S2 alar iliac (S2AI) fixation, this remains controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the radiological outcomes and complications associated with this surgical technique in a pediatric population.
Methods: An observational retrospective case series study was performed. All pediatric patients between January 2011 and February 2014 diagnosed with neuromuscular scoliosis associated with pelvic obliquity, which required surgery with fixation unto S2AI, were included. Clinical, radiological findings, and adverse events were presented with measures of central tendency. Comparison of deformity correction was carried out using a non-parametric analysis for related samples (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Significance was set at P<0.05.
Results: A total of 31 patients diagnosed with neuromuscular scoliosis that met inclusion criteria were analyzed. The leading cause of neuromuscular scoliosis in 23 (74.2%) patients was spastic cerebral palsy (CP). The correction of pelvic obliquity in the immediate postoperative period was of 76%, which is statistically significant. The extent of correction that patients maintained at the end of the follow-up was analyzed, and it was found that there were no significant differences in this magnitude, compared with the immediate postoperative pelvic obliquity. The mean follow-up time was 9±7 months. Regarding postoperative adverse events, occurred in 64.5% of patients, the most common outcome was pneumonia (14.8%). The overall rate of complications related to instrumentation was low (1.9%), which corresponds to one patient with an intra-articular screw in the left hip that required repositioning.
Conclusions: S2AI fixation for the treatment of neuromuscular scoliosis is a safe alternative, in which the onset of adverse events is related to the comorbidities of patients instead of the surgical procedure itself. An approximate correction of 76% of pelvic obliquity is maintained during the follow-up.

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