Congenital abnormalities of the thoracic and lumbar spine

Congenital spinal anomalies entail a wide spectrum of conditions that share in common some form of error during embryogenesis. Congenital disorders of the spine may not always be readily apparent at birth; they can present as a deformity with growth or with clinical signs of neurologic dysfunction early or later as an adolescent or adult. In this article the authors briefly summarize the embryology of the spine, which provides a background for understanding the pathophysiology of congenital spinal lesions. The discussion entails spine embryology and the developmental abnormalities commonly seen in the thoracolumbar spine.