Surgical treatment of congenital scoliosis

The surgical options for congenital spine deformities are numerous and depend on the type of anomaly, the degree of deformity, and the age of the patient. The mainstay of surgical treatment remains early diagnosis before severe curvature and deformity exist. Occasionally, patients present with large deformities that require more significant procedures; however, early limited arthrodesis remains the safest and most reliable procedure. Patients who have significant decompensation of the spine at a young age may benefit from a fusionless procedure, as do patients who have coexisting rib deformities and chest wall insufficiency. This article reviews the general surgical principles that need to be followed to treat these patients safely. The numerous surgical procedures available for treating these patients also are reviewed.