Seventy-four patients who had deformity of the spine secondary to a
neuromuscular disorder were treated using posterior fusion with Luque-rod
segmental instrumentation. The mean curve was 73 degrees preoperatively and
38 degrees postoperatively. The mean loss of correction was 4 degrees at an
average duration of follow-up of forty-two months (range, 2.0 to 7.3
years). Complications included one death, three deep wound infections, two
pressure sores, six sets of broken rods, and one instance of distal
rotation and migration of the rod. There were no major perioperative
neurological complications. Failure of instrumentation occurred more
frequently with 3/16-inch (4.8-millimeter) diameter than with 1/4-inch
(6.4-millimeter) diameter stainless-steel rods. There was a tendency for
cephalad progression of deformity when the fusion ended cephalad at or
below the fourth thoracic vertebra. We concluded that Luque-rod segmental
instrumentation with posterior spinal fusion is an effective treatment for
patients who have neuromuscular scoliosis.