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The effect of spine fusion on respiratory function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Children's Hospital of San Francisco, and the Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA.

Serial measures of respiratory function were made in 17 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who underwent segmental spine fusion and in 22 patients who did not. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups (operated vs. nonoperated) in terms of declining respiratory function. Nonetheless, all operated patients reported either improved sitting comfort, appearance, or both. Thus, our results suggest that there are distinct benefits from segmental spine fusion; however, there was no salutary effect upon respiratory function either in the short term or after up to 5 years follow-up.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Robert C. Miller, Department of Neurology. Children's Hospital of San Francisco, 3700 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94119.

Supported in part by a grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (to Dr. Robert G. Miller).

Presented in part at the 41st annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Chicago, IL, April 1989.

Received September 21. 1989. Accepted for publication in final form May 15, 1990.

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