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Kyphosis Deformity
Kyphosis comes from the Greek word for "hunchbacked." The kyphosis deformity is a curvature of the spine seen best from the side. With kyphosis, the apex of the spinal curve points backwards instead of sideways. This gives a rounded-back or humped appearance, which can be cosmetically displeasing. Surgical treatment of kyphosis is similar to that of scoliosis.
Like scoliosis, kyphosis can be associated with a variety of causes:
- Congenital (present at birth) faulty vertebral development
- Neuromuscular disabilities
- A defect of vertebral development occurring in adolescence — marked by defective growth at the front of several adjacent vertebral bodies.
The stunted anterior growth causes the vertebrae to become wedge- rather than box-shaped, resulting in relative shortening of the front of the spine and a round back deformity. This is called Scheuermann's kyphosis. As with other types of kyphosis, Scheuermann's kyphosis presents as a deformity that looks like a hump or round back that points behind.
Treatment options
Brace treatment may be helpful, particularly for managing early diagnosed Scheuermann's kyphosis. It may also be beneficial in providing temporary spinal balance in younger patients with a kyphosing spinal deformity associated with neuromuscular disabilities. Brace treatment is less successful for other types of kyphosis.
Surgical treatment of kyphosis is similar to that for scoliosis, except that the risks for neurological complication are greater, particularly with congenital kyphosis. In addition, larger deformities make it more likely that both an anterior and posterior spinal fusion will be needed. Most often, rigid rods applied from behind are used to provide the correction. However, due to the unique biomechanical properties of the kyphotic deformity, there can be a failure to achieve the goals for surgical correction.
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