Scoliosis by acquired rib fusion after thoracotomy in infancy

This is a report of a 6-year-old boy who was operated upon twice for congenital esophageal atresia immediately after birth, via a right posteriolateral thoracotomy without rib excision, and at the age of 5 years developed a high left-convex thoracic scoliosis with Cobb angle of 15° due to an unilateral acquired fusion between the dorsal ends of the fourth, fifth, and sixth ribs. The scoliosis had progressed by 5° 1 year later. Although congenital scoliosis associated with rib fusion is a well known entity, to the authors' knowledge this is the first report of an acquired rib fusion producing progressive scoliosis.