Posterior spinal fusion for scoliosis in patients with cerebral palsy: a comparison of Luque rod and Unit Rod instrumentation.

The development of the U-shaped Unit Rod for posterior spinal arthrodesis is a recent advance in the treatment of spinal deformity in patients with cerebral palsy. The results of 15 patients who underwent arthrodesis with dual Luque rod instrumentation (group I) are compared with the results of 15 patients in whom Unit Rod instrumentation was used (group II). The two treatment groups were similar with respect to age, gender, major spinal curve, and degree of pelvic obliquity. The Unit Rod instrumentation allowed significantly greater correction of both the major curve and pelvic obliquity, as assessed on postoperative radiographs. The mean postoperative major curve in group I was 44.1 degrees, compared with 31.7 degrees in group II (mean corrections of 48.6 and 61.7%, respectively). The mean angle of postoperative pelvic obliquity in group I was 12.6 degrees, compared with 5.2 degrees in group II, corrections of 49.5 and 79.3%, respectively. Sagittal-plane alignment was improved to a similar degree in both groups in those patients with preoperative imbalance and maintained in the remainder of patients.