Journal of Turkish Spinal Surgery, vol.34, no.3, pp.101-106, 2023 (Scopus)
Objective: The aim of the current study was to compare the activity levels and radiological outcomes of patients who underwent neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) surgery with and without pelvic fixation. Materials and Methods: Thirty-three NMS patients aged 10-20 years with a pelvic obliquity (PO) of 15° or more and a follow-up of at least 24 months who underwent posterior surgery for NMS at two different centers were included in the study. Out of the 33 patients, 16 without pelvic fixation (WoPF) and 17 with PF (WPF) underwent posterior spinal surgery. Radiological results and independent movement levels according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) were compared in the two groups. Results: The follow-up period of the patients was 46.69±21.95 months in WoPF and 43.88±20.05 months in WPF, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in postoperative radiological values (p=0.763). In the PO values, postoperative improvement was more pronounced in the WPF group (WoPF: 14.31°±8.292; WPF: 9.35°±5.338), but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.087). Patients’ GMFCS levels were higher in the WPF group than in the WoPF group (WoPF: 2.75±1.29; WPF: 3.76±1.03). GMFCS levels of patients in both groups did not change and were similar to pre-operative levels. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that NMS surgery with PF was not significantly different clinically and radiologically from surgery without PF. Considering PF-related complications in NMS surgery, surgery without PF may be an option in NMS patients with PO.