Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41452518›Full record

ArticleSpine deformity2026

Operative and post-operative complications for patients with implanted programmable devices undergoing surgery for early-onset scoliosis: a multicenter study.

Walter H Truong, Jake J Berg, Brandon A Ramo, Jaysson T Brooks, Lindsay M Andras, Patrick J Cahill, G Ying Li, Ryan E Fitzgerald, Pediatric Spine Study Group, Sara J Morgan

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Spine deformity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Walter H TruongOrthopaedic Surgery, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, 200 University Ave East, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, USA. wtruong@gillettechildrens.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7114-195X
Jake J BergUniversity of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-7384-0532
Brandon A RamoTexas Scottish Rite Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1445-230X
Jaysson T BrooksTexas Scottish Rite Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8523-1750
Lindsay M AndrasJackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3390-7878
Patrick J CahillOrthopedics Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7129-1007
G Ying LiC.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0882-5926
Ryan E FitzgeraldChildren's Orthopedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0793-2834
Pediatric Spine Study Group
Sara J MorganResearch Department, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, Saint Paul, MN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8059-3659

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDescribe implanted programmable device (IPD)-related complications after spine surgery in patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS).

methodsA descriptive study was conducted with patient data from a multicenter database. Eligibility criteria were: (1) diagnosis of EOS requiring spine deformity surgery, (2) presence of IPD(s), and (3) ≥ 2-year follow-up after index procedure. Each complication was categorized as related or not related to the IPD.

results100 patients met eligibility criteria. Most either had a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS, n = 53) or an intrathecal baclofen pump (ITBP, n = 38); the remaining patients had a vagal nerve stimulator (n = 9), cochlear implant (n = 5), or a pacemaker (n = 1). A total of 55 patients experienced one or more complications of any type, but only seven experienced IPD-related complications (n = 4 IPD-related infections, n = 3 IPD-related malfunction). All complications occurred in patients with VPS or ITBP. Of the seven IPD-related complications, only two complications (one IPD-related infection and one IPD-related malfunction) occurred in the first 90 days following index spine surgery. All IPD-related complications required unplanned operations to resolve the complication.

conclusionAlthough post-operative complications were common for patients with IPDs who underwent spine deformity surgery, IPD-related complications were rare and most occurred later than 90 days after the index procedure. Further, the IPD-related complications did not appear to be related to potential electromagnetic fields created during surgery or magnetic lengthening. These findings suggest that, inherently, the presence of an IPD may not increase the risk of IPD-related complications (e.g., device malfunction) for patients with EOS who undergo spine deformity surgery. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Infusion Pumps, ImplantablePostoperative ComplicationsScoliosisVentriculoperitoneal ShuntAdolescentAge of OnsetBaclofenChildChild, PreschoolCochlear ImplantsFemaleHumansMalePacemaker, ArtificialBaclofenComplicationsEarly-onset scoliosisImplantable programmable devicesModified Clavien–Dindo–SinkSpine deformity surgery

Identifiers

PMID41452518

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.