[Spinal cord abnormality and its clinical significance in "idiopathic" left thoracic scoliosis].

OBJECTIVE

To detect the prevalence of spinal cord abnormality in "idiopathic" left thoracic scoliosis and analyze its clinical significance.

METHODS

From October 1997 to October 2003, 59 "idiopathic" left thoracic scoliosis were treated, including 31 males and 28 females. The age was from 7 to 44 years with an average of 15 years. The Cobb angle was from 15 degrees to 108 degrees with average 56 degrees . The holocord MRI was made for all patients.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients were found cord abnormality, including 24 Chiari malformation with syringomyelia, 5 syringomyelia, 1 Chiari malformation with syringomyelia and diastematomyelia, 1 Chiari malformation with syringomyelia and tethered cord, 1 syringomyelia with tethered cord, and 1 Dandy-Walker malformation. The prevalence of spinal cord abnormality in left thoracic scoliosis was 56%. Compared to the left thoracic scoliosis without cord abnormality, the left thoracic scoliosis with cord abnormality had been found more in males and the patients with bigger Cobb angle (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For left thoracic scoliosis, especially male patient or patient with bigger Cobb angle, associated cord abnormality should be highly suspected. Preoperative holocord MRI is very meaningful for this kind of patients.