Serum Titanium Levels Remain Elevated But Urine Titanium is Undetectable in Children With Early Onset Scoliosis Undergoing Growth-Friendly Surgical Treatment: A Prospective Study.

Background: Elevated serum titanium levels have been found in patients with early onset scoliosis (EOS) treated with traditional growing rods (TGR), magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGR), and vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR). No studies have investigated whether serum titanium remains persistently elevated and if titanium is excreted. Our purpose was to compare serum titanium levels in patients with EOS with growth-friendly instrumentation to age-matched controls and evaluate urine titanium and serial serum titanium levels in patients with EOS.

Preoperative left shoulder elevation > 1 cm is predictive of severe postoperative shoulder imbalance in early onset idiopathic scoliosis patients treated with growth-friendly instrumentation.

Purpose: Prior research has demonstrated the influence of preoperative shoulder elevation (SE), proximal thoracic curve magnitude, and upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) on shoulder balance after PSF for AIS. Our purpose was to evaluate the impact of these factors on shoulder balance in early onset idiopathic scoliosis (EOIS) patients treated with growth-friendly instrumentation.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective review.

Preoperative Patient Education and Smaller Prescription Quantity Reduce Opioid Use After Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Results of a Prospective Study.

Background: Most opioids prescribed postoperatively are unused. Leftover opioids are a major source of nonmedical opioid use among adolescents. Postoperative opioid use has also been associated with prescription quantity.