Wound healing without drains in posterior spinal fusion in idiopathic scoliosis.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of wound infection and neurological injuries in patients with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion without use of drains.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Department of Orthopaedics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from February 2007 to June 2010.

METHODOLOGY

Patients who underwent similar technique of posterior spinal fusion instrumentation for the correction of scoliosis without use of drain were included. Wound Demographics, wound healing, complications and duration of hospital stay were considered and described as frequency and mean values.

RESULTS

The average age at the time of surgery was 12.80 ± 1.30 years, duration of surgery was 3.80 ± 0.86 hours, hospital stay was 3.84 ± 0.78 days and patients were followed-up over the last 30 months. There was no incidence of any neurological complication and deep infection. However, only 2 (4.16%) cases with superficial skin infection were treated with dressing and antibiotics with full recovery.

CONCLUSION

The wound healing is adequate without using drain for patients with idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation when good wash, watertight closure technique and appropriate antibiotics coverage is provided.