Position of the Aorta Relative to Vertebrae in Patients with Degenerative Thoracolumbar or Lumbar Scoliosis: A Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the position of the aorta relative to the spine in patients with de novo lumbar scoliosis (DLS).

METHODS

This study enrolled 142 patients with DLS, including 80 cases of left thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis (left group) and 62 cases of right scoliosis (right group). In addition, 132 cases free of deformity were allocated to the control group. Parameters of the Cobb angle and apical vertebrae were measured by radiograph, whereas the left pedicle-vertebrae angle (α), rotation angle (γ), and left pedicle-vertebrae distance (d) of T12-L4 were obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. Independent sample t test was performed to compare α, γ, and d between the DLS and control groups, followed by a Pearson correlation analysis to study the correlation between Cobb angle and α, γ, and d.

RESULTS

No difference was found between the right group and control group (P = 0.554). The value of mean d (4.62 ± 0.57 cm) gradually increased from T12 to L4 in the left group and showed significant difference with the corresponding value in the control group (4.44 ± 0.43 cm; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the right group and control group (P = 0.762). The value of mean d (4.54 ± 1.84 cm) showed no significant difference between the right group and control group (P = 0.530). The correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between rotation angle γ and Cobb angle (P < 0.001), but not in α and d with Cobb angle.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the position of the aorta relative to the spine showed no significant difference between patients with DLS and normal subjects, great attention should still be paid to prevent DLS-induced aorta injury.