Abstract

GONZALEZ-MIRANDA, Álvaro et al. Use of paravertebral injection of botulinum toxin to control scoliosis progression in pinealectomized chicken: the spine as a tensegrity system. Cir. plást. iberolatinoam. [online]. 2016, vol.42, n.2, pp.121-130. ISSN 1989-2055.

Background and Objectives. Severe and progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has no satisfactory treatment since high rates of morbidity and mortality are associated. Development of procedures that might slow down the progression of the deformity in the growing children may postpone definitive surgery to the end of musculoskeletal maturity period. A study about the influence of botulinum toxin in the development of deformity in a progressive scoliosis animal model is reported. Methods. Surgical pinealectomy was performed in 52 Broiler chickens to induce progressive scoliosis. Scoliosis progression among a control group and an intervention group assigned to paravertebral injection of botulinum toxin in curve's concavity electromyographycally assisted is compared. Conventional x-ray and anatomopathologic studies were conducted to evaluate results. Cobb angle method was used to measure spine deformation. Results. Five animals died (1 in the control group and 4 in the intervention group). Mean scoliosis values observed were 32.9 degrees (n= 25) and 18.8 degrees (n= 22) for control and intervention groups respectively (p < 0.05). Therefore, the use of botulinum toxin in the deformity's concavity restrains scoliosis progression in pinealectomized chickens. Conclusions. The assumption of the spine and its associated soft tissues as a tensegrity structure may explain these results, through the induced imbalance between the tension (muscles and ligaments) and compression (vertebrae) components that shape the system. Further studies are necessary to determine clinical applications of this therapy in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Keywords : Idiopathic scoliosis; Botulinum toxin; Paravertebral musculature; Pinealectomy; Tensegrity.

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