Study Design: Retrospective study with clinical and radiological evaluation of 29 patients with congenital scoliosis who underwent 31 short segment anterior instrumented fusions of lateral hemivertebrae.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of early surgical anterior instrumented fusion with partial preservation of the HV in the treatment of progressive congenital scoliosis in children below the age of 6.

Summary of background data: A variety of treatments have been described in the literature for the treatment of HV. We report the results of a novel technique.

Materials and Methods: Between 1996 and 2005, 29 consecutive patients with 31 lateral HV and progressive scoliosis underwent short segment anterior instrumentation and fusion with preservation of the HV. Mean age at surgery was 2.9 years. Mean follow-up period was 6.3 years.

Results: Preoperative segmental Cobb angle averaging 39°, was corrected to 150 after surgery, being 15º at the last follow up (60% of improvement). Compensatory cranial and caudal curves corrected by approximately 50% and did not change significantly on follow up. The angle of segmental kyphosis averaged 13º before surgery, 12º after surgery, and 12° at follow up. There was 2 wound infection requiring surgical debridment, 1 intraoperative fracture of the vertebral body and 1 case lost correction due to implant failure. All went on to stable bony union. There were no neurologic complications.

Conclusions: Early diagnosis and early and aggressive surgical treatment are mandatory for a successful treatment of congenital scoliosis and to prevent the development of secondary compensatory deformities. Anterior instrumentation is a safe and effective technique capable of transmitting a high amount of convex compression allowing short segment fusion which is of great importance in the growing spine