Fifty-six patients with neurofibromatosis were examined for
abnormalities of the cervical spine and seventeen of them had demonstrated
lesions there. Of the thirty-four patients who had scoliosis or
kyphoscoliosis, fifteen (44 per cent) had cervical lesions. Many of the
patients with those lesions were asymptomatic. To avoid the complications
attributable to the cervical spine, we recommend roentgenographic
examination in all neurofibromatosis patients who are about to have general
anesthesia or skull traction for treatment of scoliosis.