Reconstructive surgery for spinal deformities

Reconstructive spinal surgery is becoming more common in the large number of patients undergoing spinal fusion. Pseudarthrosis, loss of correction, adding on, loss of lumbar lordosis, and increasing kyphosis are the problems the patient presents. Evaluation of the spinal deformity in two planes is necessary for adequate planning of the treatment program. The treatment consists of one or more of the following: pseudarthrosis repair, extension of the previous fusion, multiple osteotomies of the posterior fusion mass, closing wedge osteotomy, and an anterior fusion. Even though the complication rate is potentially high, reconstructive spinal surgery is an important addition to the techniques available to the spinal surgeon.