Can a Surgical Vulnerability Score Predict Outcomes of Hip Reconstruction in Children with Severe Neuromuscular Disability?

Background: Hip surgery is often necessary for children with severe neuromuscular disabilities to avoid chronic pain resulting from hip migration. This study correlated the Surgical Vulnerability Score (SVS), a novel measure of physiological reserve, with reconstructive hip surgery outcomes to improve shared surgical decision-making.

Materials and methods: Sixty-eight cases performed by a single surgeon were retrospectively evaluated. Cases were graded according to physiological vulnerability using the SVS, which was then correlated with two outcomes: length of hospital stay (LOS) and severity of postoperative complications. The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level was used as a baseline comparison. Sub-analysis compared results for patients who underwent only a femoral varus derotation osteotomy (VDRO) (n = 48) with those who underwent a combined VDRO and Dega Pelvic Osteotomy (Dega PO) (n = 20).

Results: Results showed that a higher SVS was associated with increased LOS (p = 0.001) and severity of postoperative complications (p = 0.0008). A greater GMFCS level was not associated with either LOS (p = 0.246) or the severity of postoperative complications (p = 0.282). For patients who underwent only a VDRO, an increase in SVS had no association with LOS (p = 0.483) or severity of complications (p = 0.981). However, for patients who underwent both a VDRO and Dega PO, a higher SVS was associated with increased LOS (p = 0.0002) and severity of complications (p = 0.0001).

Conclusions: The SVS can aid surgical decision-making and prepare the child's family for surgery. Early intervention and fixation using only a VDRO may lead to better outcomes, underscoring the importance of hip surveillance programs in the early identification of migrating hips.