Minimally invasive, iliac crest-sparing approach for pelvic osteotomies in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Techniques

Background:

• Pelvic osteotomies are crucial for treating hip conditions in children.
• Traditional approaches can involve extensive dissection and longer recovery times.
• There is a need for less invasive surgical options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel minimally invasive iliac crest-sparing approach (ICSA) for performing common iliac osteotomies in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficiency of the ICSA.

Main Methods:

• The iliac crest-sparing approach (ICSA) was utilized for common iliac osteotomies.
• The technique was applied to 98 hips in 72 consecutive pediatric patients.
• Follow-up ranged from 3 to 7 years.

Main Results:

• The ICSA allowed for common iliac osteotomies with a mean follow-up of 3-7 years.
• Skin incisions were small, ranging from 3 to 5.5 cm.
• Distal osteotomy fragment displacement was achieved easily and without tension.
• Surgical duration decreased significantly over the series, from 50 minutes to 20-25 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The iliac crest-sparing approach (ICSA) is a viable minimally invasive technique for pediatric pelvic osteotomies.
• The ICSA demonstrates reduced operative time and ease of fragment manipulation.
• This approach meets the criteria for minimally invasive surgery in pediatric hip procedures.