A B737-700 WITH A BROKEN SEAT BACK IS RELEASED BY MAINT AND REVIEWED BY FLT CREW. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MEL PROCS WERE NOT FOLLOWED.

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WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AT MDW WITH 137 PAX. AS WE BEGAN TO TAXI; THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE AND INFORMED ME THAT A SEAT WAS BROKEN. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND CALLED MAINT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS SAID THE PAX IN THE BROKEN SEAT WAS A LARGE MAN APPROX 6 FT 3 INCHES TALL AND PROBABLY WEIGHING 220-240 LBS. ACCORDING TO OTHER PAX; HE HAD BASICALLY FLUNG HIMSELF INTO THE SEAT PUTTING A HVY LOAD ON THE SEAT BACK. NO PROB WAS NOTED IMMEDIATELY; BUT DURING THE PRETKOF BRIEFING; THE PAX LEANED FORWARD AND WHEN HE LEANED BACK; THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED INTO THE LAP OF THE PERSON SITTING BEHIND HIM. MAINT DISCOVERED A SHEARED PIN IN THE SEAT AND WITHOUT THE PIN THE SEAT BACK COULD NOT BE SECURED IN THE UPRIGHT POS. MAINT REMOVED THE SEAT BACK; PLACARDED THE SEAT; AND DEFERRED IT PER MEL 25-6. THE BROKEN SEAT WAS ON THE AISLE IN THE EMER EXIT ROW. WITH THE SEAT BACK REMOVED; ACCESS TO THE EMER EXIT WAS NOT IMPEDED. WE THEN REMOVED A PAX SINCE THE SEAT COULD NOT BE OCCUPIED AND AFTER COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL; AMENDED THE RELEASE TO SHOW THE MEL. WE FLEW THE ACFT 2 MORE LEGS UNDER THE SAME MEL. AT XA50 ON AUG/WED/03; A CHIEF PLT TELEPHONED AND INFORMED ME THE MECH WHO REPAIRED THE SEAT SAID THAT THE MEL DID NOT ALLOW THE REMOVAL OF THE SEAT BACK. AFTER RE-READING THE MEL; I FOUND THERE WAS NO PROC SPECIFYING THE REMOVAL OF A BROKEN SEATBACK. I FEEL OUR ACTIONS WERE SAFE IN THAT THEY SECURED THE SEAT AND ENSURED ACCESS TO THE EMER OVERWING EXIT; BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE FOLLOWED THE LETTER OF THE MEL. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL READ THE MEL MORE CLOSELY AND IF THE ACTIONS PERFORMED BY THE MECH DO NOT PRECISELY FOLLOW THE PROC IN THE MEL; I WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE MORE FULLY WITH MAINT CTL AND IF NECESSARY THE CHIEF PLT ON CALL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 589328: WE CHKED LOGBOOK AND IT BASICALLY SAID 'REMOVED SEAT BACK; OK TO CONTINUE PER MEL.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 589332: MAINT CTL AGREED THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO FLY THE ACFT FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR DAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 589326: CHIEF PLT CALLED AUG/WED/03 TO ADVISE ME OF POSSIBLE MEL MISTAKE ON REMOVAL OF PAX SEAT BACK IN CHICAGO (2 LEGS PRIOR TO MY FLT).