Background:
Late infection after posterior spinal arthrodesis for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the leading cause of late revision. While implant removal and antibiotic therapy are usually curative, patients may experience deformity progression. The goal of this study was to compare outcomes after implant exchange (IE) or removal (IR) to treat late-onset (≥1 y postoperative) deep surgical site infection (SSI) after spinal arthrodesis in patients with AIS.
Methods:
Using a multicenter AIS registry, patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion between 2005 and 2019 and developed late deep SSI treated with IE or IR were identified. Radiographic, surgical, clinical, and patient-reported outcomes at most recent follow-up were compared.
Results:
Of 3,705 patients, 47 (1.3%) developed late infection 3.8±2.2 years (range 1 to 9.7 y) after index surgery. Mean follow-up after index surgery was 6.1 years, with 2.8 years (range 25 to 120 mo) of follow-up after revision surgery. Twenty-one patients were treated with IE and 26 with IR. At the latest follow-up, average major-curve loss of correction (1° vs 9°, P<0.001) and increase in kyphosis (1° vs. 8°, P=0.04) were smaller in the IE group than in the IR group. Two IR patients but no IE patients had reoperation. Patients who underwent IE had higher Scoliosis Research Society 22-Item Patient Questionnaire (SRS-22) total scores (4.38 vs. 3.81, P=0.02) as well as better subscores for self-image, function, and satisfaction at the latest follow-up than those who underwent IR only. There were no significant between-group differences in operative duration, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, or changes in SRS-22 total scores. No patient had a subsequent infection during the follow-up period.
Conclusions:
When treating late-onset deep SSI after posterior spinal fusion for AIS, single-stage IE is associated with better maintenance of major curve correction, sagittal profile, and patient-reported outcomes and fewer reoperations compared with IR, with no significant differences in blood loss, operative duration, or length of stay. No time interval from index surgery to IR was observed where the corrected deformity remained stable. Both techniques were curative of infection.
Level of Evidence:
Level III
Case:
A 14-year-old boy with Marfan syndrome–associated scoliosis underwent postoperative imaging after scoliosis surgery. The lateral radiograph seemingly depicted a compression fracture of the L4 vertebra, despite the patient being asymptomatic. Further investigation with focused lumbar spine films, however, revealed a normal L4 vertebra. The apparent abnormality was attributed to an error in the image merging process.
Conclusion:
Image stitching errors can lead to a false impression of structural abnormalities. It is crucial for radiology technologists and clinicians to exercise caution when reviewing digitally stitched images. We reiterate the recommendation for technicians to label stitched images and indicate overlapping regions, facilitating judicious and accurate radiographic assessment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.