Source
Department of Spine Surgery, Twin Cities Spine Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA. jwinhaven@aol.com
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN:
Retrospective case series.
OBJECTIVE:
To make clinicians aware of this unusual natural history.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:
Nonprogressive and progressive scolioses due to hemivertebrae have been abundantly documented in the literature. There has been no article describing spontaneous improvement. Two case reports have been described elsewhere in a general article on natural history.
METHODS:
From a previous review of 1250 patients with congenital spine deformity of all types, 7 patients were identified with spontaneous improvement of their scoliosis due to a hemivertebra during growth.
RESULTS:
The mean curve at start of observation was 31 degrees (range: 24 degrees -43 degrees), and at the end of observation was 19 degrees (range: 10 degrees -30 degrees). Six of the curves were at the thoracolumbar region (T11-L2), and the other at T1. The average duration of follow-up was 9 years.
CONCLUSION:
Spontaneous curve improvement is rare, but possible. In view of the difficulty of prediction for curves due to a hemivertebra, careful observation with careful curve measurement is recommended. Inappropriate early, aggressive surgery should be avoided.