ABSTRACT

Excision of hemivertebra has gained popularity with advancing surgical techniques and methods of fixation. Hemivertebrectomy can be done via the combined anterior-posterior approach or the posterior approach as a stand alone procedure. In this study, 17 patients treated by excision of hemivertebra via a single posterior appoach with the diagnosis of congenital scoliosis (11 patients) and kyphoscoliosis (6 patients) were retrospectively reviewed. Average age at the time of surgery was12.1 (3-35) years and follow-up averaged 30.8 (12-66) months. The average preoperative coronal deformity of 39.5° in the scoliosis patients improved to 20.9° at the final follow-up, while the average preoperative coronal and sagittal deformities of 50.6° and 74° degrees improved to 18.6° and 32.6° respectively in the kyphoscoliosis patients. No complication occured except one junctional kyphosis. It was concluded that excision of the hemivertebrae via a single posterior approach is a safe and effective method for the treatment of congenital scoliosis and kyphoscoliosis.