Different Risk Factors Between Bony and Ligamentous Proximal Junctional Failure in Patients Undergoing Thoracolumbar Fusion to Pelvis for Adult Spinal Deformity.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the risk factors for bony proximal junctional failure (B-PJF) and ligamentous PJF (L-PJF) separately after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Despite numerous studies about the risk factors of PJF, it remains unclear whether the same risk factors can be applied to both B-PJF and L-PJF.

METHODS

Patients who underwent corrective surgery from low thoracic level (T9-T12) to pelvis with a minimum follow-up duration of 2 years were included in this study. Patients with PJF were divided into 2 groups according to the involvement of bony structure: B-PJF and L-PJF. The control group was created using patients who did not develop PJF for ≥2 years postoperatively (no-PJF group). Risk factors were analyzed by comparing various clinical and radiographic parameters between no PJF versus B-PJF group and between no PJF versus L-PJF groups.

RESULTS

The final study cohort comprised 240 patients. The mean age was 68.7 years, and there were 205 women (85.4%). On average, 8.1 levels were fused. PJF developed in 103 patients, with 70 (68.0%) in the B-PJF group and 33 (32.0%) in the L-PJF group. Stepwise logistic regression analyses revealed that older age (odds ratio [OR]=1.088), higher body mass index (BMI) (OR=1.161), osteoporosis (OR=3.293), greater postoperative lumbar distribution index (OR=1.032), and overcorrection relative to the age-adjusted pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (OR=3.964) were significant risk factors for B-PJF. Meanwhile, no use of a transverse process (TP) hook was the single risk factor for L-PJF (OR=4.724).

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the difference in risk factors between B-PJF and L-PJF will facilitate the optimization of surgical outcomes for patients with ASD. Appropriate correction of sagittal malalignment along with the use of a TP hook is advisable to mitigate both B-PJF and L-PJF development.