Natural history of distal spinal agenesis.

Abstract

We studied the natural course in patients with distal spinal agenesis (DSA). Specifically, we compared children with different types of DSA (Renshaw sacral agenesis types I-IV) and determined their maximum ambulatory abilities, identified patients at risk for decubiti, determined the average number of operations per patient, described associated congenital anomalies, and sought a correlation between different types of DSA and the risk of back pain and development of scoliosis. Through a retrospective analysis, we concluded that there are definite correlations between the specific type DSA and the natural course with regard to all these entities.