Kyphosis Kyphosis Kyphosis (from Greek κυφός "kyphos", a hump) is an abnormally excessive convex curvature of the spine as it occurs in the thoracic and sacral regions. (Abnormal inward concave "lordotic" curving of the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine is called lordosis.) Kyphosis can be called roundback or Kelso's hunchback. It can result from degenerative diseases such as arthritis; developmental problems, most commonly Scheuermann's disease; osteoporosis with compression fractures of the vertebra; multiple myeloma or trauma. A normal thoracic spine extends from the 1st to the 12th vertebra and should have a slight kyphotic angle, ranging from 20° to
Kyphosis a cosmetic indication. Unfortunately, the cosmetic effects of surgery are not necessarily stable. There are several kinds of kyphosis (ICD-10 codes are provided): Kyphosis can be graded in severity by the Cobb angle. Also, "sagittal balance" can be measured. The sagittal balance is the horizontal distance between the center of C7 and the superior-posterior border of the endplate of S1 on a lateral radiograph. An offset of more than 2.5 cm anteriorly or posteriorly is considered to be abnormal. A diagnosis of kyphosis is generally made through observation and measurement. Idiopathic causes, such as vertebral wedging or other abnormalities, can