Perioperative complications after surgical correction in neuromuscular scoliosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the perioperative complications associated with surgical correction in neuromuscular scoliosis and to identify the risk factors associated with these complications.

METHODS: A retrospective review of the hospital charts of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis who underwent surgical correction at a medical center was performed.

RESULTS: Data was available on a total of 175 patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 33.1% (96 complications in 58 patients). Complications were subdivided into pulmonary issues (19.4%), wound and implant infections (9.7%), cardiovascular complications (4.0%), intraoperative neurological changes (4.6%), miscellaneous complications (5.7%), and problematic instrumentation (3.4%). No patient had an identifiable permanent postoperative change in neurological status. The complication rate in patients who underwent single-stage procedures (37.4%) was found lower than that in patients who underwent staged procedures (57.1%). There were no deaths during the perioperative period.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neuromuscular scoliosis are at high risk of developing perioperative complications after surgical correction of their deformity (overall rate, 33.1%).