PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Muayad Kadhim
AU  - Christian Pizarro
AU  - Larry Holmes, Jr
AU  - Kenneth J Rogers
AU  - Antony Kallur
AU  - William G Mackenzie
TI  - Prevalence of scoliosis in patients with Fontan circulation
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302329
DP  - 2013 Mar 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 170--175
VI  - 98
IP  - 3
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/3/170.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/3/170.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2013 Mar 01; 98
AB  - Objective To examine the prevalence of scoliosis in patients with Fontan circulation. Design Retrospective cohort (case-only), level IV study. Setting A comprehensive paediatric centre. Methods We examined the radiographs of 194 patients who underwent Fontan completion surgery between 1998 and 2011 at a median age of 1.3 years. Main outcome measure We collected data on the age at the last available radiograph and when scoliosis was diagnosed; we used the first available radiograph with scoliosis. We also measured the magnitude and direction of the spinal curve in patients with scoliosis. Results Median age at radiography was 3.4 years. Nineteen patients (9.8%) developed scoliosis; none of them underwent thoracotomy. Most of the patients with scoliosis were older than 5 years of age at scoliosis diagnosis and the female to male ratio was 5 : 3. The major curve was right thoracic in 12 patients (63.2%), left thoracic in four patients (21.1%) and high thoracic in three patients (15.8%). For every 1 year increase in age there was a 27% increased risk of developing scoliosis. Conclusions There was a high prevalence of scoliosis in patients with Fontan circulation. We recommend interdisciplinary monitoring of these patients to diagnose spinal curve deformities in a timely manner.