Lumbar end plate osteotomy in adult patients with scoliosis.

The maintenance of mobile segments in the lumbar spine may prevent complications associated with long fusions to the sacrum and permit improved postoperative patient function and mobility. The purpose of the current study was to describe the technique of end plate osteotomy for surgical treatment of fractional curves in the lumbosacral region. This technique serves to allow the end lumbar vertebra to become horizontal, to reduce lumbosacral fractional curves, and to create a stable end vertebra above the pelvis. A review of long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients treated with the technique have been satisfactory. The authors show that the techniques of end plate osteotomy with concave osteophyte excision is a clinically valuable technique for the treatment of adults with fixed lumbosacral fractional curves.