Congenital scoliosis of the cervical or cervicothoracic spine

Congenital cervical or cervicothoracic scoliosis is an unusual but potentially severe disfiguring cause of spinal deformity in the growing child and adolescent. These forms of scoliosis are among the most infrequently encountered, and therefore, relatively little literature is available to guide the orthopedic surgeon. This article presents a brief overview of the etiology and epidemiology of these rare forms of scoliosis, defines the pathoanatomic variants, reviews the nonoperative treatment methods available, and discusses the role of early recognition and recommendation for spinal arthrodesis of those curves that clearly need surgical stabilization.