Congenital scoliosis due to unilateral unsegmented bar: posterior spine fusion at age 12 months with 44-year follow-up.
METHODS
Retrospective case report.


OBJECTIVE
Long-term follow-up.


METHODS
A 44-year follow-up after surgery at the age of 1 year for congenital scoliosis with original and current information.


BACKGROUND
This long a follow-up after so young a fusion has not previously been reported. Shorter follow-ups have not revealed the problems this patient has had subsequently.


RESULTS
Low back pain began 22 years after surgery (age 23 years) and cervical pain began 24 years after surgery (age 25 years). Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion plus posterior fusion of two disc levels were necessary at the age of 36 years. Continued low back pain resulting from multilevel degeneration causes major disability.


CONCLUSIONS
This patient had an excellent result from his posterior spine fusion at the age of 1 year, with no loss of curve correction, no "crankshafting," and minimal loss of vital capacity. Long-term follow-up did indicate major disabilities resulting from both cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease.
Winter
Robert B
RB
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Spine Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404, USA. jwinhaven@aol.com
Smith
Michael D
MD
Lonstein
John E
JE
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017586:Diskectomy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000151:congenital* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion