Table 2

The Hart-International Spine Study Group proximal junctional kyphosis severity scale.

Parameter and QualifierSeverity Scale
Neurological deficit
 None0
 Radicular pain2
 Myelopathy/motor deficit4
Focal pain
 None0
 VAS ≤ 41
 VAS ≥ 53
Instrumentation problem
 None0
 Partial fixation loss1
 Prominence1
 Complete fixation loss2
Change in kyphosis/PLC integrity
 0°–10°0
 10°–20°1
 >20°2
 PLC failure2
UIV/UIV+1 fracture
 None0
 Compression fracture1
 Burst/chance fracture2
 Translation3
Level of UIV
 Thoracolumbar junction0
 Upper thoracic spine1
  • Abbreviations: PLC, posterior ligamentous complex;UIV, uppermost instrumented vertebra; VAS, visual analog scale.

  • Note: Reprinted with permission from Hart et al.13