Impact of Segmental Lordosis Restoration During Degenerative Spinal Fusion on Two-Year Adjacent Segment Disease and Revision Rates

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Assess the impact of inadequate correction of L4-S1 lordosis during transforaminal lumber interbody fusion (TLIF) on adjacent segment disease and revision rates.

Background: Restoring alignment is an important consideration in spinal fusions. Failure to correct to level-specific alignment goals could promote the development of adjacent segment disease. As such, it is crucial to investigate the role of sagittal segmental alignment on clinical outcomes following short segment lumbar fusion.

Methods: Patients who underwent 1- to 3-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and had two-year outcomes data were included in this retrospective cohort study. Segmental lumbar lordosis was assessed in all patients with L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 constructs. Demographics, radiographic spinopelvic alignment, and complications were compared in a sub-group of patients fused at L4-S1 with adequate (i.e., within 35-45°) and inadequate (i.e., <35°) L4-S1 lordosis.

Results: Among the 168 included patients, mean age was 61.7 years, 56.0% were female, and mean follow-up was 32.3 months. Segmental lumbar lordosis did not change significantly after TLIF of L3-L4, L4-L5, or L5-S1 (P>0.05). Two-year postoperatively, 32.7% developed adjacent segment disease and 19.6% underwent revisions. After stratification by adequate (N=15) or inadequate (N=54) restoration of L4-S1 lordosis following initial TLIF surgery, adequately-restored patients had higher preoperative L4-S1 lordosis (Adequately-Restored=39.3° vs Inadequately-Restored=29.5°, P<0.001) and lower two-year postoperative adjacent segment disease (6.7% vs. 33.3%, P=0.032) and revision (5.7% vs. 25.9%, P=0.l33) rates. Adjacent segment disease patients had higher implant-related complications (Adjacent Segment Disease=36.8% vs No Adjacent Segment Disease=8.0%, P=0.008) and subsequent revisions (61.1% vs. 8.7%, P<0.001).

Conclusions: Adjacent segment disease and revisions after degenerative lumbar spinal fusion are common. In this cohort, suboptimal restoration of L4-S1 lordosis was associated with higher rates of adjacent segment disease and subsequent revisions, thus highlighting the importance of restoring sagittal alignment in degenerative spine surgery.

Level of evidence: III.