Congenital scoliosis

Congenital scoliosis is a deformity of the developing spine that results fr om defects in vertebral development. The developmental etiologies may be cl assified as either a failure of formation, a failure of segmentation, or a mixture of these two modes of maldevelopment. Early detection and close sur veillance of congenital scoliosis is critical, as a rapidly progressive cur ve may lead to significant deformity, pulmonary restriction, and neurologic problems if not treated. Early surgical treatment is often necessary for r apidly progressive curves. Curr Opin Pediatr 2000, 12:61-66 (C) 2000 Lippin cott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.