Congenital Scoliosis

Abstract

Congenital scoliosis is a scoliosis that occurs as a result of bony abnormalities that arise between 4 to 16 weeks of gestation. There are genetic and environmental factors involved in etio logy. The majority of congenital vertebral anomalies are in the thoracic spine (64%).The patients often have associated skeletal anomalies and can also be part of a syndrome. Skeletal, cardiac, genitourinary intraspinal abnormalities are most commonly found in associa tion with congenital scoliosis.The natural history seems to be related to the morphology of the bony the site in the spine, and the patient's age. Congenital scoliosis usually progresses and often requires intervention. The aim of intervention is to achieve a flexible and balanced spine with normal truncal height and space available for lung ratio. Early intervention for scoliosis seems to be instrumental in trying to achieve these goals.