Growing rod concepts: state of the art.

Abstract

Early-onset spinal deformities present multiple challenges to the surgeon. They may be rapidly progressive and unresponsive to conservative treatment, necessitating surgical intervention at an early age. This text attempts to provide a review of current literature and to summarize the authors' opinions. This paper attempts to concisely review available literature regarding the growing rod's inception, evolution, technique, results, and complications and answers some of the controversy still surrounding it. The growing rod is one of the first, most evolved, most popular and one of the most heatedly discussed technique of fusionless spinal instrumentation.