Long-term follow-up assessment of vascularized rib pedicle graft for tuberculosis kyphosis.

This article reports a long-term follow-up assessment (10-15 years) of eight children treated with a vascularized rib pedicle graft after an anterior spinal decompression for paralysis resulting from tuberculosis. Neurologic recovery, fusion, and hypertrophy of the rib grafts were noted in all patients. The vascularized rib pedicle grafts were superior to autologous rib grafts in supporting and promoting early fusion of the anterior column in children with kyphosis resulting from tuberculosis.