[Early postoperative complications after scoliosis surgery]

Several medical complications can occur after scoliosis surgery in children and adolescents. New surgical techniques have allowed greater degrees of scoliosis correction but have also increased the possibility of postsurgical deficit due to their greater aggressivity. We analyzed the early postsurgical complications of scoliosis surgery in a pediatric intensive care unit over a 10-year period. Seventy-six surgical procedures were performed. Of these, no complications occurred in 55 (73%). Chest X-ray revealed pulmonary atelectasia in 8 patients (10%) and pleural effusion in 7 patients (9%). Symptoms and signs of infection related to surgery were observed in only 6 children (8%). The absence of severe medical complications may be related to new surgical techniques and an experienced team.