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Surgical Technique: Modern Luqué Trolley, a Self-growing Rod Technique

  • Symposium: Early Onset Scoliosis
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

The challenge when managing early-onset scoliosis (EOS) is to prevent curve progression while maintaining spinal growth. Current surgical treatments (growing rods, VEPTR) require repetitive interventions to lengthen the implants.

Questions/purposes

We asked whether a modern Luqué trolley construct could achieve and maintain scoliosis correction in EOS during spinal growth without the need for repetitive surgeries, thus decreasing the morbidity of the surgical treatment.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed five patients who underwent a modern Luqué trolley construct between 2003 and 2008. This construct consists of inserting apical gliding spinal anchors using muscle-sparing techniques to the proximal and distal fixed anchors found in the dual growing rod construct. We documented age at surgery, correction and maintenance of deformity, spinal growth, number of procedures, and complications.

Results

The primary curve was corrected from 60° to 21° and was maintained at 21° at a minimum followup of 2 years (mean, 4 years; range, 2–5.5 years). An average of 10 vertebrae was spanned allowing the spine to grow a mean of 3 cm over 4 years, representing a mean of 77% of the expected growth. Two of the five cases outgrew the construct requiring lengthening of rods. One patient had gradual recurrence of deformity without substantial axial growth that required revision surgery after 4 years.

Conclusion

Modifications of the Luqué trolley may be useful for managing EOS without the morbidity of repetitive surgery. However, questions such as the effect of wear debris and the risk of spontaneous fusions still remain.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Dr Farid Alfaya for reviewing the radiographs and medical records.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal Children Hospital, 2300 Tupper Street, Montreal, QC, H3H 1P3, Canada

    Jean Ouellet MD, FRCSC

Authors
  1. Jean Ouellet MD, FRCSC
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean Ouellet MD, FRCSC.

Additional information

The institution of the author receives fellowship research funding from AO Spine North America unrelated to this work. The author has had commercial associations in the form of contractual consultancies work with Synthes Europe.

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Ouellet, J. Surgical Technique: Modern Luqué Trolley, a Self-growing Rod Technique. Clin Orthop Relat Res 469, 1356–1367 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-1783-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-1783-4

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