The Use of MAGEC Growing Rods as a temporary distraction rod in Severe Kyphoscoliosis: A Case Report.

John T. Smith, MDMary Scowcroft Perry Presidential Endowed Chair of OrthopaedicsProfessorUniversity of Utah Department of OrthopaedicsChief, Scoliosis ServicePrimary Children’s HospitalSalt Lake City, UT

Jessica MorganUniversity of Utah Department of OrthopaedicsPrimary Children’s Hospital

Disclosures

JT Smith: Consultant: Depuy-Synthes, SpineGuard; Globus; Biomet,; EllipseBOD: CSF

J Morgan: none

Initial Visit

11 +/- 2 year old female Severe kyphoscoliosis measuring >135° MRI showing no abnormalities of the

spinal cord Adopted from an Ethopian Refugee

Camp

Initial Visit: clinical appearance

First radiographs; Kyphoscoliosis >150°

Management plan Through clinical evaluation for co-

morbidities Placement of halo Progressive halo-gravity traction Pulmonary rehab in halo Planned placement of Magnetically

Coontrolled Growing Rod (MCGR) for continued outpatient expansion for 6 months

Radiograph after 4 weeks of progressive Halo-Traction

Initial Placement of MCGR and halo removal

4 distractions over 6 months

Post-op definitive fusion after removal of MCGR

Discussion Gradual correction of severe scoliosis can

be accomplished safely over time using halo-traction

The MCGR can be used as a form of a temporary internal distraction rod in severe deformities

Gradual distraction made defnitive instrumentation and fusion easier and safer than a VCR

References Sponseller P.D., Takenaga, R.K., Netown, P., et al. (2008).

The use of traction in the treatment of severe spinal deformity. Spine 2008; 33: 2305-9.

Buchowski, J.M., Bhatnagar, R., Skaggs, D.L., Sponseller, P.D., Temporary internal distraction as an aid to correction of severe scoliosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2006;88:2035-41.

Cheung, J.P., Samartzis, D., & Cheung, K.M. (January 20, 2014). A novel approach to gradual correction of severe spinal deformity in a pediatric patient using the magnetically-controlled growing rod. The Spine Journal 14 (2014) e7-e13.