Congenital spine deformities. A review of 47 cases

Forty-two cases of congenital scoliosis, four cases of congenital kyphosis and one case of congenital lordosis were reviewed retrospectively from 1975 through 1982, with an average follow-up of 5.09 years. Associated anomalies occurred in 62.5% of the cases, with Sprengel's deformity and Klippel-Feil syndrome being the most common musculoskeletal anomalies. The rate of abnormal intravenous pyelography was 21.8%, and absent kidneys or duplication of collecting systems accounted for the majority of renal abnormalities. Myelographic abnormalities were noted in eight of twenty-five studies and included two cases of diastematomyelia and one tethered cord syndrome. Initial treatment was observation (11), bracing (11), and surgery in the remaining 25 cases. The surgical complication rate was 22.8%. Progressive deformities led to additional surgical procedures in six cases which had previous in situ fusions.