The rare spinal deformity of congenital thoracic lordosis is illustrated
in five patients. Often this deformity is progressive and may cause severe
pulmonary deficits and death. In the two patients most recently treated,
early spine fusion (one anterior and one posterior) showed promising
results--halting of the progression of deformity and even some amelioration
of the lordosis. In two patients in whom active attempts were made to
correct the lordosis, the complications were severe--one patient died and
quadriparesis developed in the other.