title: Thoracolumbar osteotomy for postsurgical sagittal imbalance.
abstract: A prospective study of 12 patients with sagittal plane imbalance after multiple surgeries for scoliosis is reported. Reconstruction was attempted by posterior thoracolumbar junction osteotomy. Eighty-seven degrees of thoracic kyphosis (ending at L3) was improved to forty-one degrees (ending at T12). Lumbar lordosis was increased from 21 to 30 degrees, beginning at L1 afterward (L3 before). 8.7 cm posterior displacement of the sagittal weight-bearing axis was achieved. No permanent complications ensued. The procedure, without anterior surgery, corrects the deformity at the apical area. Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation secured correction and fixation.
authors.affiliation: Miami Childrens Hospital, Florida 33155.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Shufflebarger
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*