Congenital scoliosis presenting in teenage years outcomes without hemivertebra excision

Purpose: In congenital scoliosis, the surgical strategy approach of hemivertebra excision, with or without instrumentation and fusion, is a common approach to correction of scoliosis. However, hemivertebra excisions are technically challenging, with potential complications including spinal cord injury, nerve root injury and cerebrospinal fluid leak. The purpose of this study was to determine whether correction of congenital scoliosis can be achieved using a posterior instrumentation/fusion-only approach without the need for hemivertebra excision. Methods: 35 patients with congenital scoliosis and hemivertebra operated between 2007 and 2024 were matched to 35 AIS patients by BMI, levels fused, and preoperative Cobb. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, chi-square tests, and Fisher’s Exact tests were utilized. Results: Age (p = 0.22), BMI (p = 0.25) and preoperative Cobb (p = 0.79) were similar between hemivertebra and AIS patients. Cobb correction (HV: 71.8% vs. AIS: 70.4%; p = 0.92) and EBL (500 cc vs. 400 cc; p = 1.0) were similar. Operative time (310.0 min vs. 242.0 min; p < 0.001) and length of stay (7.0 days vs. 5.0 days; p < 0.001) were statistically different. Patients operated on after 2018, when the Rapid Recovery Protocol was implemented, had a similar length of stay (4.5 vs. 5.0; p = 0.92). Patients in both cohorts had similar SRS-22 scores. Conclusion: Choosing fusion levels in congenital patients, on similar principles to AIS, leads to avoidance of hemivertebra excision, including lumbosacral hemivertebrae. This approach is safer than hemivertebra excision and has similar, or better, curve correction than previously reported.