A new study examining the complications associated with adult spinal deformity surgery was published in Spine.
The researchers examined radiographic and implant-related complications in adult spinal deformity surgery. The data from a multicenter, prospective database of surgical patients was reviewed. All patients had two-year follow-ups. There were 245 patients who met inclusion criteria. The researchers reported:
1. The radiographic and implant-related complications were found in 31.7 percent of the patients. A little over half — 52.6 percent — of those patients required a reoperation.
2. The complication breakdown was:
• Rod breakage: 47 percent of implant-related complications
• Proximal functional kyphosis: 54.5 percent of radiographic complications
3. The risk factors for complication included weight, ASA score, revision procedures, stopping the fusion in the lower thoracic spine, worse SRS-Schwab classification modifiers, higher T1 spinopelvic inclination and higher T1 slope.
4. Both the group with radiographic and implant-related complications and the non-complication groups experienced significant improvement over time on the Oswestery Disability Index, SF-36 and SRS-22r.
5. Overtime, the rate of improvement was less for patients with complications.