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

To evaluate the radiologic and clinical results of patients who underwent deformity correction and stabilization for congenitalspinal deformities using pedicle screws after hemivertebra resection.Material and Method. Nine patients, mean age 9.2, whounderwent posterior hemivertebrectomy and transpedicular fixation for congenital spinal deformity and had longer than five yearsof follow-up were evaluated retrospectively. The hemivertebrae were located in the thoracic region in 4 patients and thoracolumbartransition region in 5 patients. The patients were evaluated radiologically and clinically in the postoperative period.Results.Meanlength of follow-up was 64.2 months. The mean operating time was 292 minutes. The mean blood loss was 236 mL. The averagehospitalization time was 7 days. The amount of correction on the coronal planes was measured as 31%. The mean segmental kyphosisangle was 45.7 degrees preoperatively and it was measured 2.7 degrees in the follow-up period. There were no statistically significantdifferences 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 curvaturesthat have a structural character in hemivertebra may require longer fusion levels.