title: Natural history of distal spinal agenesis.
abstract: We studied the natural course in patients with distal spinal agenesis (DSA). Specifically, we compared children with different types of DSA (Renshaw sacral agenesis types I-IV) and determined their maximum ambulatory abilities, identified patients at risk for decubiti, determined the average number of operations per patient, described associated congenital anomalies, and sought a correlation between different types of DSA and the risk of back pain and development of scoliosis. Through a retrospective analysis, we concluded that there are definite correlations between the specific type DSA and the natural course with regard to all these entities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Van Buskirk
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ritterbusch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012447:Sacrum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology