Idiopathic scoliosis: correction of lateral and rotational deformities using the Cotrel-Dubousset spinal instrumentation system.

The Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (CDI) system developed between 1982 and 1984 is now being used extensively for the posterior correction of idiopathic scoliosis. In this study we compared the lateral and rotational correction obtained with CDI to that obtained with Harrington rod instrumentation and Drummond wiring. We matched 14 patients who had had CDI by age and sex with 14 patients who had had either Harrington rod instrumentation (n = 5) or Drummond wiring (n = 9). Average lateral curve correction was significantly better with CDI than with the combination of the other systems (71.9% and 56.4%, respectively; P less than .01). Average rotational correction was studied using the methods of Mehta, and Nash and Moe; all patients having CDI showed a median rotational improvement of 30 degrees; 57% of the comparison group had minimal improvement (P less than .01). These results suggest that CDI may offer a significant alternative to the Harrington and Drummond spinal instrumentation systems in the surgical management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.