title: The effect of vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib on growth in congenital scoliosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the treatment of thoracic insufficiency syndrome, the main aim is to maintain spinal and thoracic growth in order to continue respiratory functions. Vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib (VEPTR) device application is a method of choice especially in the congenital cases with a thoracic deformity. In our study, we evaluated the effect of VEPTR on growth in congenital scoliosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four female patients in whom VEPTR was applied were retrospectively evaluated. Anteroposterior (AP) and lateral Cobb angles that were measured preoperatively and during the last control, space available for lung (SAL), T1-S1 and T1-T12 distances, coronal and sagittal balances were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four female patients in whom VEPTR was applied were retrospectively evaluated. AP and lateral Cobb angles that were measured preoperatively and during the last control, SAL, T1-S1, and T1-T12 distances, coronal and sagittal balances were compared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEPTR may provide a good correction, and we observed a growth in the spine height and SAL following the treatment of congenital deformities. Long-term, multicenter, prospective studies that compare the spinal height, respiratory functions, the severity of the deformity, and the spinal balance are required in order to evaluate the efficacy of VEPTR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Bulent
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Balioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yunus Emre
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atici
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kargin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Spine Surgery and Arthroplasty Clinic, Metin Sabanci Baltalimani Bone Disease Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kaygusuz
keywords: Congenital scoliosis; rib deformity; thoracic insufficiency syndrome; vertical expandable prosthetic titanium ribs