Perioperative complications after surgical correction in neuromuscular scoliosis.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the perioperative complications associated with surgical correction in neuromuscular scoliosis and to identify the risk factors associated with these complications.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the hospital charts of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis who underwent surgical correction at a medical center was performed.

RESULTS

Data was available on a total of 175 patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 33.1% (96 complications in 58 patients). Complications were subdivided into pulmonary issues (19.4%), wound and implant infections (9.7%), cardiovascular complications (4.0%), intraoperative neurological changes (4.6%), miscellaneous complications (5.7%), and problematic instrumentation (3.4%). No patient had an identifiable permanent postoperative change in neurological status. The complication rate in patients who underwent single-stage procedures (37.4%) was found lower than that in patients who underwent staged procedures (57.1%). There were no deaths during the perioperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with neuromuscular scoliosis are at high risk of developing perioperative complications after surgical correction of their deformity (overall rate, 33.1%).