The Results of Hemivertebra Resection by the Posterior Approach in Children with a Mean Follow-Up of Five Years

AIM: To evaluate the radiologic and clinical results of patients who underwent deformity correction and stabilization for congenital spinal deformities using pedicle screws after hemivertebra resection. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Nine patients, mean age 9.2, who underwent posterior hemivertebrectomy and transpedicular fixation for congenital spinal deformity and had longer than five years of follow-up were evaluated retrospectively. The hemivertebrae were located in the thoracic region in 4 patients and thoracolumbar transition region in 5 patients. The patients were evaluated radiologically and clinically in the postoperative period. RESULTS: Mean length of follow-up was 64.2 months. The mean operating time was 292 minutes. The mean blood loss was 236 mL. The average hospitalization time was 7 days. The amount of correction on the coronal planes was measured as 31%. The mean segmental kyphosis angle was 45.7 degrees preoperatively and it was measured 2.7 degrees in the follow-up period. There were no statistically significant differences between the early postoperative period and final follow-up X-rays with respect to coronal and sagittal plane deformities. CONCLUSION: The ability to obtain a sufficient and balanced correction in the cases accompanied by long compensator curvatures that have a structural character in hemivertebra may require longer fusion levels.