Surgical Correction of Fixed Kyphosis

Cho, Jae Lim; Park, Ye Soo; Lee, Joong Hak

Abstract

Morphologically, kyphosis is devided into two groups, pure kyphosis and kyphoscoliosis, according to whether or not scoiiosis is combined. Or kyphosis can be devided into round kyphosis or angular kyphosis. The examples of round kyphosis are Scheuermanns kyphosis or ankylosing spondylitis. Acute angular kyphosis are of congenital kyphosis or old healed tuberculosis. The purpose of surgical correction of fixed kyphosis is to correct deformity as well as to prevent or to recover from paraplegia. The operation also improve respiratory and digestive function by diminishing compression of abdomen. However, the correction of this deformity is more dangerous in eliciting paraplegia than any other spinal deformity. In considering surgical correction of kyphosis we have to decide which approach is the best for that particular patient at that particular time. Usually majority of patient need combined anterior and posterior approach. The extent of fusion depends upon the flexibility of the kyphosis. Anterior fusion should encompass at least the rigid and inflexible portion of the kyphosis as determined by the hyperextension x-ray of the spine. Posterior fusion should encompass the full extent of the kyphosis. The purpose of this study is to report our results for surgical correction and to find the operative procedure which shows the best result. We hereby report surgically corrected 14 cases of fixed kyphosis who were hospitalized here from April 1988 to February 1995.