Lung Function in Congenital Kyphosis and Kyphoscoliosis : Clinical Spine Surgery

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Lung Function in Congenital Kyphosis and Kyphoscoliosis

McMaster, Michael J. MD, FRCS*; Glasby, Michael A. MA, MD, DSc, FRCS*; Singh, Harwant PhD, FRCS*; Cunningham, Steve MB, PhD, MRCP, MRCPCH†

Author Information

*The Scottish National Paediatric Spinal Deformity Centre

†Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, Scotland

No funds were received in support of this work.

The Manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).

Reprints: Michael J. McMaster, MD, FRCS, The Scottish National Paediatric Spinal Deformity Centre, The Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, Scotland (e-mail: [email protected]).

Received for publication March 3, 2006; accepted July 24, 2006

Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques 20(3):p 203-208, May 2007. | DOI: 10.1097/01.bsd.0000211270.51368.43

Abstract

Objective 

To quantify the respiratory compromise in patients with a congenital kyphosis or kyphoscoliosis in whom the major deformity is the kyphosis.

Methods 

Forty-one patients with congenital vertebral anomalies resulting in a kyphosis or kyphoscoliosis, in which the kyphosis was the major deformity, and requiring spine surgery were studied retrospectively. The preoperative respiratory function and radiographic spinal assessments were compared.

Results 

Twenty-two patients (54%) had an impairment of respiratory function: 2 patients (5%) were severely affected, 8 patients (20%) were moderately affected, and 12 patients (29%) were mildly affected.

Conclusions 

An increasing severity of kyphosis was associated with a significant increase in respiratory impairment (P<0.005). A more cranial level of the kyphosis, especially above T10, had a significantly greater effect on respiratory impairment (P<0.001). One untreated patient with a severe kyphosis (128 degrees) died from cor pulmonale.

© 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

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