[Design and application of Chinese universal spinal instrumentation in spine surgery].

OBJECTIVE

To report the rationale and primary results of application of Chinese universal spinal instrumentation (CHN-USI) in spinal surgery.

METHODS

From September 1998 to June 2000, 70 patients with scoliosis, including 30 congenital scoliosis, 36 idiopathic scoliosis and 4 other disorders, were treated with CHN-USI in our hospital. All patients got follow-up after surgery with roentgenogram.

RESULTS

The average follow-up time was 8.9 months. On average, the primary scoliotic curve was reduced from 70.5 degrees (40 degrees-103 degrees) to 32.5 degrees with an average correction rate of 55.6%. The average increases in body height and the length of corrective segment were 6.5 cm and 5 mm respectively. The kyphotic curve was corrected from average 80.5 degrees to 29 degrees. No serious complication was found in our group.

CONCLUSIONS

The CHN-USI which has no need of spinal fusion and will elongate together with the children's growth is a new effective instrumentation for correcting scoliosis, especially in case of growing children. It can also be used in the treatment for kyphosis, anterior derotation spondylodesis, spondylolisthesis and spinal fracture.