New Technologies in Pediatric Spine Surgery.

Spinal fusion in young children for treatment of early onset scoliosis is not optimal because it limits growth and contributes to long-term lung compromise. Various types of growth-friendly spinal implants and newer technologies have been introduced in the past few years. Similarly, in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, fusion decreases spinal mobility and may lead to development of adjacent level disc degeneration. A variety of different new technologies have been developed for alternative surgical approaches that halt curve progression while maintaining spinal mobility.