Spinal deformity after multiple-level cervical laminectomy in children

Considerable controversy exists in the orthopedic and neurosurgical literature over the true incidence and nature of spinal deformity after multiple-level cervical laminectomy in children. Eighty-nine patients with a mean radiographic follow up of 5.1 years [range 2-9 years) were reviewed. Mean age at surgery was 5.7 years (range 1 month-18 years). Most common diagnoses were Arnold-Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, or both (81%). Significant deformity developed in 46 patients (53%), with 33 developing a mean kyphosis of 30° (range 5-105) and 13 developing a mean hyperlordosis of 621 (range 4D-9b‘l. Peak age at surgery of 10.5 years correlated weakly (P ¦ O.OBh with the development of kyphosis, The development of hyparlordosia was strongly correlated \P = O.Oti with a peak ape at surgery of 4.2 years. There was no correlation between diagnosis, sex, location, or number of levels decompressed and the subsequent development of defomtrty.