A new study published in Spine examines the quality of life for adolescent patients who undergo scoliosis correction with magnetic controlled growing rods compared to the traditional growing rods.
The patients were all 10 years old or younger with a curve of 30 degrees or greater. There were 44 patients enrolled in the study; 25 underwent procedures with traditional growing rods and 19 underwent surgery with magnetic growing rods. Study authors found:
1. The economic burden and overall satisfaction scores for the magnetic controlled growing rods were significantly greater than the traditional growing rod group, according to a univariate analysis.
2. Some of the domain scores examined "trended toward statistical significance" when study authors controlled for the duration of follow-up. Traditional growing rod patients had longer follow-ups on average and were older when they underwent the questionnaire.
3. Study authors concluded the health-related quality of life data was superior in overall financial burden and patient satisfaction for the magnetic controlled growing rod group than the traditional growing rod group.
4. The positive effects for the MCGR group were decreased when controlling for the length of follow-up, "indicating that the MCGR is not yet a magic fix-all, and that the TGR remains an option in the treatment of EOS," study authors wrote.