Spinal cord compression caused by the rod of a Harrington instrumentation device: a late complication in scoliosis surgery.

We report a unique complication caused by the rod of a Harrington instrumentation device, which resulted in spinal stenosis and myelopathy. A literature review revealed no previous causes of direct spinal cord impingement caused by the rod of a Harrington device. In this case, years after the initial operation, the rod penetrated the lamina at the junction between a thoracic and a lumbar curve, causing spinal stenosis and myelopathy.