Background:

Adult degenerative scoliosis is a complex three-dimensional rotational deformity, in a previously straight spine, resulting in sagittal and axial disbalance.

Material and methods:

This retrospective study presents the casuistry of patients 40 to 80 years old with adult degenerative scoliosis who underwent surgery in a referral institute from January 1994 to December 2013.

Results:

The prevalence was 0.087% (CI 95% 67.8-111), with a median age of 64.9 ± 9.4 years old, increased frequency in women and older adults. The prevalence of spondylolisthesis associated with degenerative scoliosis was 21%. The estimated risk for scoliosis in women was OR = 2.37 (CI 95% 1.35-4.15), while men showed OR = 0.4 (CI95% 0.24-0.73). The risk for spondylolisthesis associated to degenerative scoliosis was in men OR = 1.87.

Conclusions:

The prevalence in our experience is low and the sample age was higher; while gender, severity of the curve and presence of spondylolisthesis and olistesis were similar to the reviewed literature.