OBJECTIVE: To describe the early and late postoperative data from SMA patients with surgical procedure. METHOD: Clinical data and radiographic imaging from 14 SMA patients with surgical treatment of scoliosis were reviewed, and all were reassessed clinically with new spinal radiographs and a questionnaire. The mean follow-up were 22 months. The mean preoperative Cobb angle was 78.4°. All patients presented pelvic obliquity (mean 25.5°) and 11 had cifosis. The mean age at time of surgery was 12 years and 3 months. All patients were treated with posterior spinal fusion with Luque-Galveston instrumentation in 12 and Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation in 2. RESULTS: The average curve correction at the immediate postoperative was 64.3% for scoliosis and 36.4% for cifosis, with the pelvic obliquity correction of the 70.9%. The complications were liquoric fistula and infection earlier in one case, and lately wire looseness of T1 in 2 patients. It was detected mean lost of the correction at the final assessment of the 0.26° of the scoliosis and the 1.28° of the pelvic obliquity. Relatives and the patients related good improvement regarding to esthetic aspects, posture balance, body care, as well as respiratory problems. CONCLUSION: The spinal fusion for scoliosis in SMA patients has a satisfactory impact for esthetic, quality of life and respiratory function, with minimal lost of corrected deformities and few complications.
spinal muscular atrophy; scoliosis; spinal fusion; orthopaedic treatment; neuromuscular diseases
