The spine surgeons at The Center for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan, New York City treat a vast array of congenital (at birth) spine conditions which can occur in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine, such as:

Cervical Spine
Cranial settling. Cranial settling occurs when the skull rests too low on the spinal column, with spinal cord and brain stem compression.
Platybasia. Platybasia is an abnormal flattening of the skull base, potentially causing neurological problems.
Assimilation of the atlas. Assimilation of the atlas is an abnormal fusion of the cranium and the cervical vertebrae.
Chiari malformation. A chiari malformation occurs when the lower rear of the skull is too small, resulting in the downward displacement of some of the brain's structures (the base of the cerebellum) into the spinal canal. This disrupts the flow of spinal fluid, producing headaches and the development of cysts within the spinal cord (syringomyelia).
Syringomyelia. Syringomyelia is a condition where a cyst forms within the spinal cord.
Klippel-feil. Klippel-feil is a condition where a number of cervical vertebrae are congenitally fused together.
Kyphosis. Kyphosis is a spinal disorder that causes an abnormal, pronounced forward curvature of the spine.

Thoracic Spine
Scoliosis. Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, similar to an S-curve.
Arachnoid cyst. Arachnoid cysts are cysts filled with cerebrospinal fluid that can appear on the spinal cord.
Spinal cord hernia. A spinal cord hernia occurs when the cord is protruding through a defect in the lining of the dura covering the spinal cord. Pulsations of the spinal cord slowly drive the cord further into the defect as may happen with an inguinal hernia with strangulation of the cord and neurological symptoms.
Scheuermann's kyphosis. Scheuermann's kyphosis is kyphosis (forward curve) found in the thoracic spine with several vertebral bodies undergoing compression fractures.

Lumbar Spine
Tethered cord syndrome. Tethered cord syndrome is a progressive condition that occurs when the spinal cord fails to ascend upto its adult position in the spinal canal. Several congenital conditions prevent the ascent of the spinal cord.
Split cord (diastomatomyelia). Split cord, or diastomatomyelia, is a condition where the spinal cord is split lengthwise, usually a growth of bone or cartilage maybe found between the split cords.
Spina bifida. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closure of the spine, leaving the spinal canal unprotected.
Myelo-meningocele. A myelomeningocele is a more serious form of spina bifida in which the spinal cord and its protective covering (meninges) bulge out from the opening in the spine.
Lipomyelomeningocele. A lipomyelomeningocele is a visible fatty mass under the skin of a child's back that extends into the spinal canal. A lipomyelomeningocele can be attached to the spinal cord or put pressure on the spinal cord.
Tarlov (meningeal) cyst. A tarlov cyst is a fluid filled cyst that can put pressure on the nerve roots in the lower section of the spine.

To make an appointment at the Center for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, please call
(212) 523-6720.

The Center for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Roosevelt Hospital
1000 Tenth Avenue (at 59th Street)
Suite 5G-80
New York, NY 10019