Congenital spinal anomalies and occult dysraphism

ABSTRACT

Congenital spinal deformities, particularly congenital scoliosis were reported in the literature to be associated with high incidence of neural axis abnormalities. These abnormalities included tethered cord, syringomyelia, Arnold-Chiari malformation, spinal cord tumours and diastematomyelia. The incidence of occult intraspinal anomalies in patients with congenital scoliosis is still controversial and ranges from about 18% to as high as 58% in different series. As such patients are frequently candidates for corrective surgery, they are theoretically at high risk of neurological deterioration. We reviewed a short series of 30 consecutive patients with congenital spinal deformities, mainly scoliosis, based on clinical presentation, type of spinal deformity and other associated congenital deformities with magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] findings. Based on MRI findings, the incidence of associated spinal cord abnormalities in the current study was much less than that reported in the literature. Magnetic resonance imaging is still the recommended routine investigation and supports in choosing the appropriate surgical procedure