Multilevel spinal reconstruction in pediatric patients under 4 years old with non-congenital pathology (10-year single-center cohort study)

Purpose To evaluate the influence of anterior fusion option on the short- and long-time outcomes on multilevel spinal reconstructions in young children. Methods Forty-five patients aged under 4 years old (2 years 2 months ± 11 months in average) underwent spinal reconstruction due to tuberculosis spondylitis (35), pyogenic spondylitis (9) and spinal tumors (1) complicated by angular kyphosis exceeded 20° (49.2° ± 14.3° in average). All lesions involved two or more spinal motion segments. Clinical and radiographic data were compared in two groups depended on the types of anterior fusion: titanium mesh cage with bone graft (TMC + BG) (19 patients) and cortical BG only (26). The average follow-up was 5 years 10 months ± 2 years 8 months (min = 3 years; max = 12 years). Results The deformity correction was similar in groups. The operation time and blood loss were less in TMC + BG group ( p = 0.001) as a times for anterior bone block formation ( p