Spinal deformities in spinal dysraphia syndrome

Abstract

Progressive spinal deformity is a significant comorbidity associated with MMC. It leads to loss of truncal height and causes sitting, breathing, eating, and urination difficulties due to increased chest and abdominal pressures. Spinal deformities associated with MMC can be divided into 2 major groups: predominantly neuromuscular kyphoscoliosis or lordoscoliosis and severe rigid kyphosis or sharp-angled kyphosis. Kyphoscoliosis is a common finding in patients with thoracolumbar myelodysplasia, whereas lordoscoliosis is more common in patients with cauda equina and conus medullaris dysplasia. Early surgical correction improves body balance and quality of life and helps reduce the aggressiveness of surgical intervention. The dual growing rod technique is safe and effective in cases of moderate neuromuscular kyphoscoliosis or lordoscoliosis at an early age. Kyphectomy is a challenging procedure with high rates of complications, especially skin problems, but in patients with significant rigid kyphosis, there are no viable alternative procedures.