Magnetically Controlled Growing Rod

Abstract

Magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGR) that have Food and Drug Administration clearance since 2014 for the treatment of progressive early onset scoliosis in immature patients at risk for thoracic insufficiency syndrome are designed to reduce the number of planned open surgical procedures for lengthening and minimize the complications of more conventional techniques such as traditional growing rods (TGR). MCGR is a safe and effective distraction-based growing rod technique with similar results in curve correction and growth achievement as TGR. However, its main advantage over TGR is to allow noninvasive lengthenings, which significantly decrease number of planned surgeries and affect the rate of complications due to repeated surgeries associated with this technique. The indications and surgical techniques for MCGR are similar to TGR. However, it requires attention to detail, and the purpose of this article is to thoroughly discuss the technique with specific attention to these trivial but important points that makes it different from TGR. In this article, we have described the surgical technique for MCGR. We have also detailed indications and contraindications, preoperative evaluation, imaging, surgical anatomy, positioning, exposure, postoperative lengthening, and expected outcomes.