Degree of kyphosis correction and neurological outcome

Cervical lordosis

J Neurosurg Spine 18:537–544, 2013

Reversal of the normal cervical spine curvature, as seen in cervical kyphosis, can lead to mechanical pain, neurological dysfunction, and functional disabilities. Surgical intervention is warranted in patients with sufficiently symptomatic deformities in an attempt to correct the deformed cervical spine. In theory, improved outcomes should accompany a greater degree of correction toward lordosis, although there are few data available to test this relationship. The purpose of this study is to determine if the degree of deformity correction correlates with improvement in neurological symptoms following surgery for cervical kyphotic deformity.

Methods. A retrospective review of 36 patients with myelopathic symptoms who underwent cervical deformity correction surgery between 2001 and 2009 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic findings related to the degree of kyphosis were collected and compared with functional outcome measures. The minimum follow-up time was 2 years.

Results. A significant relationship was observed between a greater degree of focal kyphosis correction and improved neurological outcomes according to the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score (r = -0.46, p = 0.032). For patients with severe neurological symptoms (mJOA score < 12) a trend toward improved outcomes with greater global kyphosis correction was observed (r = -0.56, p = 0.057). Patients with an mJOA score less than 16 who attained lordosis postoperatively had a significantly greater improvement in total mJOA score than patients who maintained a kyphotic position (achieved lordosis: 2.7 ± 2.0 vs maintained kyphosis: 1.1 ± 2.1, p = 0.044).

Conclusions. The authors’ results suggest that the degree of correction of focal kyphosis deformity correlates with improved neurological outcomes. The authors also saw a positive relationship between attainment of global lordosis and improved mJOA scores. With consideration for the risks involved in correction surgery, this information can be used to help guide surgical strategy decision making.

Surgical treatment of cervical kyphosis

Eur Spine J. DOI 10.1007/s00586-010-1602-8.

Cervical kyphosis is an uncommon but potentially debilitating and challenging condition. We reviewed the etiology, presentation, clinical and radiological evaluation, and treatment of cervical kyphosis. Based on the current controversy as to the ideal mode of surgical management, we paid particular attention to the available surgical strategies. There are three approaches for cervical kyphosis: the anterior, posterior or combined procedures. The principal indication for the posterior strategy is a flexible kyphosis or kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis. The main point of debate is between the choice of the anterior or the combined strategy. The two strategies were compared with regard to clinical outcome, correction of deformity, rate of fusion, complications, revision surgery, and mortality. The combined strategy appears to result in a greater degree of correction than the anterior-alone strategy, and it is more likely to improve the cervical alignment to achieve a lordosis. However, the procedure carries a higher rate of postoperative neurological deterioration, complications, revision surgery, and mortality. Although the anterioralone strategy achieves a smaller reduction of cervical kyphosis, it has a lower rate of postoperative neurological deterioration, complications, revision surgery, and mortality. We recommend that the surgical treatment of cervical kyphosis should be planned on an individual basis. A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled study would be necessary to determine the ideal mode of treatment for complex cervical kyphosis

Surgical treatment of cervical kyphosis

Eur Spine J. DOI 10.1007/s00586-010-1602-8

Cervical kyphosis is an uncommon but potentially debilitating and challenging condition.

We reviewed the etiology, presentation, clinical and radiological evaluation, and treatment of cervical kyphosis. Based on the current controversy as to the ideal mode of surgical management, we paid particular attention to the available surgical strategies.

There are three approaches for cervical kyphosis: the anterior, posterior or combined procedures. The principal indication for the posterior strategy is a flexible kyphosis or kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis.

The main point of debate is between the choice of the anterior or the combined strategy. The two strategies were compared with regard to clinical outcome, correction of deformity, rate of fusion, complications, revision surgery, and mortality. The combined strategy appears to result in a greater degree of correction than the anterior-alone strategy, and it is more likely to improve the cervical alignment to achieve a lordosis. However, the procedure carries a higher rate of postoperative neurological deterioration, complications, revision surgery, and mortality. Although the anterior alone strategy achieves a smaller reduction of cervical kyphosis, it has a lower rate of postoperative neurological deterioration, complications, revision surgery, and mortality.

We recommend that the surgical treatment of cervical kyphosis should be planned on an individual basis.

A multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled study would be necessary to determine the ideal mode of treatment for complex cervical kyphosis.