Objective. To report 2-year clinical and radiographic results of patients treated with magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGR).

Summary of Background Data. MCGR for early-onset scoliosis has been reported to provide adequate spinal growth and curve correction by eliminating surgical lengthening procedures. This study was designed to report the results of MCGR patients with 2-year follow-up.

Methods. A retrospective study of MCGR patients with the following inclusion criteria:(i) major curve size≥ 30,(ii) T1-T12 height< 22 cm,(iii)< 11-years old; all at the time of index surgery was performed. Of 54 patients enrolled, 23 had 2-year follow-up. Both primary and conversion patients were evaluated at baseline 6, 12, and 24 months.

Results. Mean preoperative age in the primary group was 6.6±2.6 years versus 8.3±2.2 years for the conversion group. A total of 41 adverse events occurred in 11 patients, of which 14 events were implant related. Major coronal curve magnitude improved from 61.3 to 34.3 from baseline to postoperation in primary cases and from 49.4 to 43.8 in conversion cases. Curve correction was maintained for 2 years in both groups. T1-S1 height improved from 252.7 to 288.9 mm in primary cases and was maintained for 2 years. However, conversion cases had some decline in T1-S1 height (270.3 at baseline to 294.4 mm post-MCGR and 290.2 mm at 2-year follow-up; mean loss of 4.2 mm (1.5%) from postoperation to 2 years, P> 0.05).

Conclusion. This study showed satisfactory curve correction and growth is achieved among primary cases. T1-S1 height in conversion cases had a slight decline in 2 years. However, this decline was not statistically significant.

Level of Evidence: 3

* San Diego Spine Foundation, San Diego, CA

† Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA

‡ Starship Children's Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand

§ Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

¶ The Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

|| Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

** Florence Nightingale Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

†† Ankara Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

‡‡ University of Cairo Public Hospital, Oula, Giza, Egypt.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Gregory M. Mundis, MD, Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines, 10666 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037; E-mail: gmundis1@ gmail. com