Scoliosis after thoracotomy for esophageal atresia

Abstract

Progressive scoliosis was seen in eight children after thoracotomy for esophageal atresia. Postoperatively, all had had severe mediastinitis and empyema secondary to dehiscence of the esophageal anastomosis and required reoperation. Healing was accompanied by marked scarring and rib fusion; with growth, a scoliosis developed with the concavity toward the thoracotomy site. Most spinal curvatures appeared years after the thoracotomy and progressed rapidly at the time of adolescent growth spurt. Excision of fused ribs, spinal fusion, and instrumentation led to improvement in four patients.

Scoliosis after chest wall resection

“…There are a number of reports of scoliosis that are secondary to multiple rib resections and/or chest wall resection [5,15,18,19,[29][30][31][32]. This population historically includes patients with tuberculosis treated with thoracoplasty, but also contains patients treated for chest wall tumors [5].…”

Long-term complications of congenital esophageal atresia–single institution experience

“…Prevalence of scoliosis in patients after esophageal atresia repair ranges from 6 to 50% [14,15]. Scoliosis in this group is connected mainly with weakening of muscles due to partial damage to innervation, cut during thoracotomy, and presence of scars in the line of incision.…”

“…Scoliosis in this group is connected mainly with weakening of muscles due to partial damage to innervation, cut during thoracotomy, and presence of scars in the line of incision. The occurrence of lateral vertebral deformity is higher in patients after repeated thoracotomies [15]. The presence [12,15].…”

“…The occurrence of lateral vertebral deformity is higher in patients after repeated thoracotomies [15]. The presence [12,15]. This deformation is usually mild, not requiring operative treatment [10,11].…”

Transoesophageal echocardiography detects residual ductal flow during video-assisted thoracoscopic patent ductus arteriosus interruption

“…[8][9] This unique profde makes the procedure an attractive alternative, sparing the patient a rib spreading and muscle tearing manoeuvre that may degenerate into a post-thoracotomy syndrome characterized by rib fusion, scoliosis, chest wall deformities and compromise of pulmonary function. 10- 13 Although TEE and VATS are accepted techniques in cardiac surgery, they are not without complication. Laryngeal and oesophageal damage have been known to occur with placement of the transoesophageal probe in adults.…”