RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Perioperative Chanage in Cervical Lordosis and Health-Related Quality-of-Life Outcomes
JF International Journal of Spine Surgery
JO Int J Spine Surg
FD International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery
SP 8325
DO 10.14444/8325
A1 Canseco, Jose A.
A1 Karamian, Brian A.
A1 Patel, Parthik D.
A1 Markowitz, Michael
A1 Lee, Joseph K.
A1 Kurd, Mark F.
A1 Greg Anderson, D.
A1 Rihn, Jeffrey A.
A1 Hilibrand, Alan S.
A1 Kepler, Christopher K.
A1 Vaccaro, Alexander R.
A1 Schroeder, Gregory D.
YR 2022
UL https://www.ijssurgery.com/content/early/2022/07/13/8325.abstract
AB Background Surgeons have scrutinized spinal alignment and its impact on improving clinical outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The primary analysis of this study examines the relationship between change in perioperative cervical lordosis (CL) and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes after ACDF. Secondary analysis evaluates the effects of fusion construct length on outcomes in patients grouped by preoperative cervical alignment.Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on an institutional database including patients who underwent 1- to 3-level ACDF. C2-C7 CL was measured preoperatively and at final follow-up. For primary analysis, patients were classified based on their perioperative cervical lordotic correction: (1) kyphotic, (2) maintained, and (3) restored. For secondary analysis, patients were categorized based on their preoperative C2-C7 CL: (1) kyphotic, (2) neutral, and (3) lordotic. Demographics and perioperative change in patient-reported outcome measures were compared between groups.Results A total of 308 patients were included. A significant difference was noted among maintained, restored, and kyphotic groups in terms of delta physical compositeshort form-12 score (ΔPCS-12) (9.0 vs 10.3 vs 1.5; P = 0.04) and delta visual analog scale score (ΔVAS) for arm pain (−0.9 vs −3.8 vs −0.6; P = 0.03). Regression analysis revealed significantly greater improvement of PCS-12 (β: 8.6; P = 0.03) and VAS arm (β: −2.0; P = 0.03) scores in restored patients compared with kyphotic patients. The length of fusion construct in patients grouped by preoperative cervical alignment had no significant impact on the clinical outcomes on regression analysis.Conclusions Significantly greater PCS-12 and VAS arm improvement were seen in patients whose cervical sagittal alignment was restored to neutral/lordotic compared with those who remained kyphotic. Multivariate analysis demonstrated no association between construct length and perioperative outcomes.Clinical Relevance The results of this study highlight the importance of sagittal alignment and restoration of CL after short-segment ACDF. Irrespective of preoperative sagittal alignment, the length of ACDF fusion construct does not have a significant impact on clinical outcomes.Level of Evidence 3.