OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the surgical treatment of congenital lumbar kyphosis related to myelomeningocele. METHODS: Retrospective study, with 31 patients, mean age of 10 years old, treated only by posterior approach with a Dunn-McCarthy procedure. The mean follow up was about 22 months (5 to 60 months). We evaluated the potential correction, correction loss, percentage of fusion and complications. RESULTS: The average preoperative kyphosis of 114º (60º to 183º) was corrected to 37º (-63º to 180º) according to the radiograph obtained in the last visit. The global rate of complications was 46%; however the surgical morbidity was very low. The fusion rate was 80%. CONCLUSION: This procedure is efficient, with a high potential for correction and fusion, and low potential for loss of correction.
Meningomyelocele; Kyphosis; Treatment outcome; Retrospective studies