Modified Woodward procedure for Sprengel deformity of the shoulder: long-term results

Sprengel deformity of the shoulder is characterized by elevation and medial rotation of the inferior pole of the scapula. Surgical treatment is recommended in significantly involved patients to improve cosmetic appearance and function of the involved shoulder. We report long-term results of a Woodward procedure modified by excision of the prominent superomedial border of the scapula for correction of this deformity in 15 patients. Preoperatively, the total abduction of the shoulder averaged 115 degrees, and on follow-up the abduction had improved to an average of 150 degrees. In all patients except one, there was marked improvement in appearance as assessed on Cavendish scale. All patients except two had achieved skeletal maturity at the last follow-up. Eighty-six percent of patients expressed satisfaction with operative results. Our data support the concept that correction achieved by a modified Woodward procedure is not altered by growth and is maintained beyond skeletal maturity.