Comparison of posterior correction results between Marfan syndrome scoliosis and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis—a retrospective case-series study

The X-ray films of the patients with Marfan syndrome scoliosis (MSS) look like those with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). In literature, there are many reports on the correction results of AIS, while there are a few studies focused on the difference of the correction results between MSS and AIS. This study aims to analyze whether there are differences of posterior correction surgery in MSS and AIS.

All the patients included underwent posterior correction surgery. The radiographic data, operation duration, estimated blood loss, transfusion, fusion levels, and correction rate were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed between the two groups.

Group MSS included 42 patients, 11 male and 31 female, with an average age of 15.2 years old. Group AIS included 168 patients (ratio, 1:4), 34 male and 134 female, with an average age of 14.5 years old. Twenty-three patients in group MSS and 94 patients in group AIS were followed up regularly, with an average time of 18.4 and 18.5 months, respectively. The mean coronal Cobb angle of the major curve before operation and at final follow-up, the correction rate, fusion level, operation duration, estimated blood loss during operation, and transfusion between the two groups were 60.4 and 57.5°, 14.6 and 15.2°, 76.4 and 74.1 %, 11.5 and 11.0 vertebrae, 4.6 and 4.0 h, 845 and 698 ml, and 1151 and 894 ml, respectively. The age, gender ratio, curve type, and coronal Cobb angle of the major curve were all matched (all P > 0.05). Group MSS had a longer operation duration and more estimated blood loss compared with those of group AIS (both P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in terms of fusion level, transfusion, coronal Cobb angle of the major curve at final follow-up, and the correction rate (all P > 0.05).

When performing posterior correction for scoliosis, the surgeons should be aware that the patients with Marfan syndrome scoliosis had more estimated blood loss and longer operation duration than AIS patients, while the correction rate was similar.