Secondary degenerative adult scoliosis is characterized by degenerative alterations of curves existing prior to skeletal maturity. The clinical entity of a progressive idiopathic scoliosis in adult life of the thoracic, thoracolumbar and/or lumbar spine can indeed be present since childhood or adolescence and can become progressive and/or symptomatic only in adult life.
The patient in the pictures presented complaining for back pain gradually appeared during the growth with subjective perception of worsening of the deformity. At the time of presentation, she showed an asymmetry of the waist triangles with unlevel shoulders and thoracolumbar gibbus at the Adam’s test.
The standard radiographs showed a thoracolumbar curve (T10-L2) of 72 degrees which corrected to 20 degrees, with a thoracic curve (T3-T11) of 51 degrees which corrected to 12 degrees. Surgery was suggested because of the worsening of the curves magnitude and the symptoms that have arisen. The technique of posterior scoliosis correction consists in the placement of pedicle screws in the target vertebra that can be used to perform the correction through the two rods, one in concave side of the curve and one other in the convex side of the curve. A posterior fusion is added.
Years after the operation, the patient was pain free without any complications. The follow-up radiographs demonstrate a good deformity correction and a balanced spine.
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