Development of Consensus-Based Best Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative and Postoperative Care of Pediatric Patients With Spinal Deformity and Programmable Implanted Devices

Authors

Walter H. Truong, Department of Orthopedics-Spine, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.
Hiroko Matsumoto, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.
Jaysson T. Brooks, Department of Orthopaedics, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX.
Tenner J. Guillaume, Department of Orthopedics-Spine, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.
Lindsay M. Andras, Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Patrick J. Cahill, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Ryan E. Fitzgerald, Children's Orthopedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, St Petersburg, FL.
Ying Li, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI.
Brandon A. Ramo, Department of Orthopaedics, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX.
Benhoor Soumekh, ENT Specialty Care of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Laurel C. Blakemore, Pediatric Specialists of Virginia, Merrifield, VA.
Christopher Carter, Children's Heart Clinic, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Michelle R. Christie, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX.
Daniel Cortez, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA.
V Vivian Dimas, Department of Pediatrics, Medical City Childrens Hospital, Dallas, TX.
Christina K. Hardesty, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH.
Luv R. Javia, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Benjamin C. Kennedy, Division of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Peter D. Kim, Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.
Robert F. Murphy, Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Joseph H. Perra, Department of Orthopedics-Spine, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.
David W. Polly, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Jeffrey R. Sawyer, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic, Germantown, TN.
Brian Snyder, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Paul D. Sponseller, Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD.
Peter F. Sturm, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Burt Yaszay, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA.
Tim Feyma, Department of Neurology, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.
Sara J. Morgan, Department of Research, Gillette Children's, Saint Paul, MN.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2024

Journal

Spine

Volume

49

Issue

23

DOI

10.1097/BRS.0000000000005061

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Modified Delphi consensus study. OBJECTIVE: To develop consensus-based best practices for the care of pediatric patients who have implanted programmable devices (IPDs) and require spinal deformity surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Implanted programmable devices (IPDs) are often present in patients with neuromuscular or syndromic scoliosis who require spine surgery. Guidelines for monitoring and interrogating these devices during the perioperative period are not available. METHODS: A panel was assembled consisting of 25 experts (i.e., spinal deformity surgeons, neurosurgeons, neuroelectrophysiologists, cardiologists, and otolaryngologists). Initial postulates were based on a literature review and results from a prior survey. Postulates addressed the following IPDs: vagal nerve stimulators (VNS), programmable ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS), intrathecal baclofen pumps (ITBP), cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), deep brain stimulators (DBS), and cochlear implants. Cardiologist and otolaryngologist participants responded only to postulates on cardiac pacemakers or cochlear implants, respectively. Consensus was defined as ≥80% agreement, items that did not reach consensus were revised and included in subsequent rounds. A total of 3 survey rounds and 1 virtual meeting were conducted. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 39 total postulates across 6 IPD types. Postulates addressed general spine surgery considerations, the use of intraoperative monitoring and cautery, the use of magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGRs), and the use of an external remote controller to lengthen MCGRs. Across IPD types, consensus for the final postulates ranged from 94.4% to 100%. Overall, experts agreed that MCGRs can be surgically inserted and lengthened in patients with a variety of IPDs and provided guidance for the use of intraoperative monitoring and cautery, which varied between IPD types. CONCLUSION: Spinal deformity correction surgery often benefits from the use of intraoperative monitoring, monopolar and bipolar cautery, and MCGRs. The final postulates from this study can inform the perioperative and postoperative practices of spinal deformity surgeons who treat patients with both scoliosis and IPDs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V-Expert opinion.

Department

Orthopaedic Surgery

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