Does rod overhang matter? Clinical impact in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and Scheuermann's kyphosis.
Superior rod overhang linked to lower vitality scores in scoliosis surgery patients
Does rod overhang matter? Clinical impact in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and Scheuermann's kyphosis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between rod overhang (rod overhang) and quality of life (quality of life) scores, as well as implant-related irritation, in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (adolescent idiopathic scoliosis) and Scheuermann's kyphosis (s kyphosis).
Between October 2016 and December 2018, a total of 33 pediatric patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and s kyphosis who underwent posterior instrumentation were retrospectively analyzed.
Of the patients, 10 were male and 23 were female.
The mean maximum rod overhang was 11.3 ± 7.8 mm superiorly and 11.1 ± 6.2 mm inferiorly.
There was no significant difference in rod overhang between patients who did and did not report implant-related irritation (superior p = 0.18 vs. inferior p = 0.48).
There were no significant differences in quality of life scores (for superior, inferior, and either end; p > 0.05) or in the rate of implant-related irritation between patients with rod overhang greater or less than 1 cm (superior p = 0.70; inferior and either end p = 1.00).
Our study results suggest that rod overhangs up to 3 cm may not be a clinically relevant determinant of patient-reported outcomes or implant-related irritation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and s kyphosis surgery.
From a clinical perspective, this may help reduce concern regarding minor distal or proximal overhang during posterior instrumentation, particularly when optimal correction and fixation require slight extension of the construct.