Long-Term Loss of Alignment Following ASD Surgery in the Absence of Mechanical Complications: Aging Spine?

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of a prospective multicenter Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) registry. Objective: Assess whether spinal alignment deteriorates post-surgery in absence of mechanical complications and evaluate the long-term outcomes of ASD surgery over a five-year period. Summary of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 2024-09
Main Authors: Haddad, Sleiman, Jacobs, Eva, Núñez Pereira, Susana, Ruiz de Villa, Aleix, Pupak, Anika, Barcheni, Maggie, Ramírez Valencia, Manuel, Pizones, Javier, Kleinstück, Frank S., Pérez Grueso, Francisco Sánchez, Alanay, Ahmet, Obeid, Ibrahim, Pellisé, Ferran
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Study Design: Retrospective analysis of a prospective multicenter Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) registry. Objective: Assess whether spinal alignment deteriorates post-surgery in absence of mechanical complications and evaluate the long-term outcomes of ASD surgery over a five-year period. Summary of Background Data: ASD is prevalent among older adults, leading to significant pain and disability. Surgical intervention, although increasingly popular, is associated with complications, high costs, and uncertain long-term outcomes beyond two years. Mechanical failure and alignment loss often necessitate revision surgeries, but the natural progression of spinal alignment post-surgery without complications remains unclear. Methods: Clinical and radiological data were analyzed from surgical patients in a multicenter ASD registry who maintained alignment within the instrumented region and completed a 5-year follow-up. The study evaluated patient demographics, surgical details, radiological parameters, and quality of life (QoL) outcomes. Sub-analyses were conducted to compare patients with different initial postoperative alignments and fixation levels. Results: The study included 79 patients (83.5% women, average age 61.9 years) with a mean of 10.7 fused levels. Of these, 29.1% underwent three-column osteotomies (3CO), and 88.6% had a posterior-only approach. While 65% showed favorable alignment at 6 weeks post-surgery, there was a progressive deterioration in global sagittal alignment (Global Tilt/RSA) and thoracic kyphosis over five years ( P 0.05). Older age was linked to greater progression in T2-T12 kyphosis, and osteoporosis was associated with increased SVA and RPV. Optimal immediate postoperative sagittal alignment did not prevent this “aging effect.” Conclusions: ASD surgery and achieving ideal postoperative alignment do not prevent the ongoing “aging” of the non-instrumented spine. Both thoracic and global sagittal alignments deteriorate over time. Although no functional decline has been observed, the implications of these changes for surgical planning remain uncertain.
ISSN:0362-2436
1528-1159
1528-1159
DOI:10.1097/BRS.0000000000005142