Definition of Structural scoliosis
Structural scoliosis: A fixed lateral (sideway) curve of the spine.
Structural scoliosis often occurs from unknown factors without reference to other physical problems (idiopathic scoliosis). It tends to affect girls during adolescence.
Structural scoliosis can also be part of a syndrome or disease. Examples of conditions that can result in structural scoliosis are: Marfan syndrome (an inherited connective tissue disorder); other connective tissue disorders; neuromuscular diseases (such as cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, or muscular dystrophy); birth defects (such as hemivertebra, in which one side of a vertebra fails to form normally before birth); injury; certain infections of the spine; tumors (such as those caused by neurofibromatosis, an hereditary disease associated with benign tumors on the spinal column); metabolic (biochemical) diseases; or some arthritic diseases.
Structural scoliosis is different than nonstructural (functional) scoliosis in which the spine appears to have a lateral curve (scoliosis) but it is structurally normal.
Last Editorial Review: 9/5/1999 7:36:00 PM
- Lower Back Pain - Get information on causes of lower back pain (arthritis, pregnancy, herniated disc, sciatica, spinal stenosis, endometriosis, ovarian cysts), includes back pain treatment and diagnosis.
- Marfan Syndrome - Read about Marfan syndrome, a hereditary condition affecting connective tissue. A person with Marfan syndrome may exhibit the following symptoms and characteristics: dislocation of one or both lenses of the eye; a protruding or indented breastbone; scoliosis; flat feet; aortic dilatation; dural ectasia; stretch marks; hernia; and lung collapse. Though there is no cure for Marfan syndrome, there are treatments that can minimize and sometimes prevent some complications.
- Radiculopathy - Learn about radiculopathy, a condition caused by compression of a nerve in the spine. Symptoms include pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the nerve.
Latest Medical News
Back to MedTerms online medical dictionary A-Z List
