Isolated pedicle screw instrumented correction for the treatment of thoracic congenital scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the radiologic results of fusion with segmental pedicle screw fixation in neglected thoracic congenital curves with a mean follow-up of 51.3 months (range: 24 to 108 mo). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Segmental pedicle screw fixation has been shown to be effective both in correcting and controlling the idiopathic spinal deformities. However, the choice of treatment modality is more controversial in neglected thoracic congenital curves of the aged. METHODS: Fourteen patients with thoracic congenital curves treated by segmental pedicle screw fixation and fusion were analyzed. The average age of the patients was 14.9 years (range: 10 to 25 y) at surgery. Deformity correction was achieved by compression of the convex deformity side with resection of apical 3 ribs. Radiologic analyses of coronal and sagittal plane included Cobb angles of the major compensatory curves, apical vertebrae translation, and sagittal Cobb angles, respectively. RESULTS: In the coronal plane, the preoperative mean major curve Cobb angle of 52.3 degree (range: 32.6 to 66.7 degrees) was corrected to 25.3 degree (range: 7.2 to 44.8 degree) and the mean compensatory curve Cobb angle of 23.6 degree (range: 10.3 to 34.8 degrees) was corrected to 15.9 degree (range: 5.7 to 30.6 degrees). The mean translation of apical vertebrae was 28.8 mm (range: 4.7 to 53.6 mm) before surgery and 15.5 mm (range: 2.4 to 41.3 mm) after surgery. In the sagittal plane, the mean preoperative and postoperative sagittal T5 to T12 angles were 34.8 degree (range: 16.5 to 44.7 degrees) and 27.3 degree (range: 10.4 to 43.5 degrees), respectively. The mean preoperative and postoperative sagittal T12 to S1 angles were 47.2 degree (range: 23.4 to 65.1 degrees) and 41.3 degree (range: 23.8 to 62.7 degrees), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the neglected thoracic congenital deformities of the aged, with posterior pedicle instrumented fusion, an acceptable correction can be achieved with relatively low morbidity.