Scoliosis after thoracotomy for esophageal atresia.

Progressive scoliosis was seen in eight children after thoracotomy for esophageal atresia. Postoperatively, all had had severe mediastinitis and empyema secondary to dehiscence of the esophageal anastomosis and required reoperation. Healing was accompanied by marked scarring and rib fusion; with growth, a scoliosis developed with the concavity toward the thoracotomy site. Most spinal curvatures appeared years after the thoracotomy and progressed rapidly at the time of adolescent growth spurt. Excision of fused ribs, spinal fusion, and instrumentation led to improvement in four patients.