Surgical Management of Adults with Congenital Deformities of the Spine

Adult congenital scoliosis is more common that congenital kyphosis or lordosis. It is usually present at birth and may remain untreated until adulthood, at which point treatment may be needed for neuro, profession, pulmonary dysfunction, or loss of function. Treatment methods include posterior fusion and instrumentation with or without osteotomies, anterior/posterior fusion with or without osteotomies, or resection and posterior vertebral column resection. The surgical procedures are complex and of high risk with significant morbidity. Current segmental instrumentation systems afford a three dimensional correction of deformity with acceptable complication rates and good outcomes in the properly selected patient.