Predicting the Occurrence of Postoperative Distal Junctional Kyphosis in Cervical Deformity Patients.

Publication Title

Neurosurgery

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2020

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) development after cervical deformity (CD)-corrective surgery is a growing concern for surgeons and patients. Few studies have investigated risk factors that predict the occurrence of DJK.

OBJECTIVE: To predict DJK development after CD surgery using predictive modeling.

METHODS: CD criteria was at least one of the following: C2-C7 Coronal/Cobb > 10°, C2-7 sagittal vertical axis (cSVA) > 4 cm, chin-brow vertical angle > 25°. DJK was defined as the development of an angle

RESULTS: One hundred seventeen CD patients were included. At any postoperative visit up to 1 yr, 23.1% of CD patients developed DJK. DJK was predicted with high accuracy using a combination of baseline demographic, clinical, and surgical factors by the following factors: preoperative neurological deficit, use of transition rod, C2-C7 lordosis (CL)31°, and cSVA > 54 mm. In the model using only baseline demographic/clinical predictors of DJK, presence of comorbidities, presence of baseline neurological deficit, and high preoperative C2-T3 angle were included in the final model (area under the curve = 87%). The final model using only surgical predictors for DJK included combined approach, posterior upper instrumented vertebrae below C4, use of transition rod, lack of anterior corpectomy, more than 3 posterior osteotomies, and performance of a 3-column osteotomy.

CONCLUSION: Preoperative assessment and consideration should be given to these factors that are predictive of DJK to mitigate poor outcomes.

Clinical Institute

Neurosciences (Brain & Spine)

Clinical Institute

Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Specialty

Orthopedics

Specialty

Neurosciences

Specialty

Surgery

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