Transverse traction in the treatment of scoliosis. A preliminary report

Nineteen scoliotic patients were treated with the standard Harrington distraction rod supplemented with transverse traction. The latter consists of a compressive device (either Harrington';s or Cotrel's) applied to the convex side of the curve to correct disc space wedging and then drawn toward the distraction rod with a simple traction apparatus. Intraoperative roentgenograms were taken with the Harrington distraction rod alone after maximal distraction was applied. This was followed by postoperative roentgenograms with the transverse traction added. The 50.3% correction by distraction rod alone is increased to 66% with the addition of transverse traction. Detailed analysis of each curve, segment by segment, showed that the correction was augmented, not only in the center of the curve, where the compression corrected disc space wedging, but in the ends of the curve as well. This series uses each patient as his or her own control in demonstrating increased correction added by transverse traction.