OBJECTIVE: to assess the efficacy and safety of using the gravitational cranial halo as a technique for treating rigid deformities in the spinal column and to revisit complications associated to the treatment. METHODS: a total of ten patients with rigid spinal deformities were studied, with the following deformities: kyphosis, scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis and cervical hyperlordosis. The criterion for including a patient was the use of the gravitational cranial halo in a postoperative period and interoperative period for rigid spinal deformities. The patient medical records and their radiographic measurements were studied and compared in a preoperative period, after the installation of the gravitational cranial halo and in the postoperative period. The aspects analyzed were: age, sex, angular value of the main curvature and angular value of the secondary curvature, angular value of the major sagittal curvature, traction protocol and type of procedure. RESULTS: in the frontal plane, an average angle of 89.9º was found in the preoperative period, decreasing to 65º after the installation of the halo and 56.9º in the postoperative period. In the sagittal plane, an angular value of 77.7º was observed, decreasing to 55.4º with the use of the halo and 46.5º in the postoperative period. CONCLUSION: the conclusion was that the use of cranial halo traction is an efficient method for correcting rigid spinal deformities, taking into account that there was significant correction of the deformities from the preoperative period to the post installation of the halo and the postoperative period, without any neurological lesions or serious complications resulting from the treatment.
Scoliosis; Kyphosis; Traction
