Morphological study of rib regeneration following costectomy in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

This is a prospective observational study comparing cases with retrospective controls. The aim of the study is to compare rib regeneration with a scaffold placed intra-periosteally against no scaffold, after costectomy in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A prospective study was conducted at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on 16 consecutive patients (51 ribs) with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent costectomy and application of gel foam in the rib bed as a scaffold. These patients were compared with a retrospective group of 15 patients (33 ribs) who did not have the scaffold. All prospective and retrospective patients were followed up for a minimum period of 6 months and were analyzed radiographically for rib regeneration and morphology. A classification system was devised to include all possible morphologies of regenerate. The resulting data, when analyzed showed that majority of ribs re-grew to normal morphology in 3–6 months in the trial group. In comparison the regeneration in the retrospective controls was slower and poorer in quality. Ribs treated by placement of gel foam scaffold in the bed regenerate to a near normal radiological profile within 6 months of costectomy compared to a slower regeneration in those without gel foam scaffold.