Simultaneous anterior and posterior hemivertebra excision

The operative treatment of congenital scoliosis secondary to hemivertebra m ay involve in situ spinal epiphysiodesis, in situ fusion, or hemivertebra e xcision, The technique described in this paper, simultaneous anterior and p osterior resection of the hemivertebra and correction of deformity with pos terior instrumentation, has evolved from many different surgical methods us ed by the senior author in the past. This series of 11 patients describes t he resection technique, degree of deformity correction, and complications e ncountered with this approach to a very difficult clinical problem, The pre operative mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 18 months (ra nge, 1 month-30 months), and preoperative curves averaged 47 degrees (range , 30 degrees-80 degrees), Immediate postoperative curves averaged 13 degree s (range, 1 degrees-40 degrees), and at a mean of 28 months followup the cu rves averaged 14 degrees (range, 1 degrees-47 degrees), One patient experie nced transient left leg weakness, There were no long term neurologic injuri es and no other surgical complications.