Abstract
Objective
To determine optimal proximal fusion levels for instrumented spinal fusion for Scheuermann kyphosis.
Methods
We reviewed 86 patients (33 women) who underwent corrective instrumented spinal fusion for Scheuermann kyphosis. All patients had long-cassette upright lateral radiographs taken preoperatively, postoperatively, and at 2 years and the last follow-up. Demographic, radiographic, and surgical parameters were compared between patients with and without PJK.
Results
PJK occurred in 28 patients (32%). The mean maximum Cobb angle was 85.8° ± 11.7° preoperatively, 54.8° ± 14.2° postoperatively, and 59.7° ± 16.8° at the last follow-up. Age and sex did not differ between the PJK and non-PJK groups (P > 0.05). The preoperative curve characteristics, fusion levels, and corrective ratio were similar in both groups (P > 0.05). The maximal Cobb angle at 2 years and the last follow-up significantly differed between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). The proportion of patients with the uppermost instrumented vertebra (UIV) at or above the proximal end vertebra (PEV) was similar in both groups (P > 0.05). The proportion of patients with UIV at or above T2 was significantly greater in the non-PJK group (P < 0.05). PJK was significantly associated with a C7 plumb line (C7PL)-sacrum distance ≥ 50 mm (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
PJK is the main cause of postoperative correction loss. Proper fusion-level selection can reduce PJK occurrence. We recommend having the UIV at T2 or above, especially when the C7PL-sacrum distance ≥ 50 mm.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Scheuermann HW. Kyfosis dorsalis juvenilis [J]. Ugeskrift for Laeger, 1920, 82.
Li Q (2021) Surgical procedures used for correction of Scheuermann’s Kyphosis: a meta-analysis [J]. Pain Res Manage 2021:2142964
Debnath UK, Quraishi NA, McCarthy MJH et al (2022) Long-term outcome after surgical treatment of Scheuermann’s Kyphosis (SK) [J]. Spine deformity 10(2):387–397
Tsirikos AI, Carter TH (2021) The surgical treatment of severe Scheuermann’s kyphosis [J]. Bone Joint J 103B(1):148–156
Lonner BS, Newton P, Betz R et al (2007) Operative management of Scheuermann’s kyphosis in 78 patients: radiographic outcomes, complications, and technique [J]. Spine 32(24):2644–2652
Hosman AJ, Langeloo DD, de Kleuver M et al (2002) Analysis of the sagittal plane after surgical management for Scheuermann’s disease: a view on overcorrection and the use of an anterior release [J]. Spine 27(2):167–175
Yanik HS, Ketenci IE, Coskun T et al (2016) Selection of distal fusion level in posterior instrumentation and fusion of Scheuermann kyphosis: is fusion to sagittal stable vertebra necessary? [J]. Eur Spine J Off Publ Eur Spine Soc Eur Spinal Deform Soc Eur Sect Cerv Spine Res Soc 25(2):583–589
Kim YJ, Bridwell KH, Lenke LG et al (2008) Proximal junctional kyphosis in adult spinal deformity after segmental posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion: minimum five-year follow-up [J]. Spine 33(20):2179–2184
Papagelopoulos PJ, Klassen RA, Peterson HA et al (2001) Surgical treatment of Scheuermann’s disease with segmental compression instrumentation [J]. Clin Orthop Relat Res 386:139–149
Denis F, Sun EC, Winter RB (2009) Incidence and risk factors for proximal and distal junctional kyphosis following surgical treatment for Scheuermann kyphosis: minimum five-year follow-up [J]. Spine 34(20):E729–E734
Koller H, Lenke LG, Meier O et al (2015) Comparison of anteroposterior to posterior-only correction of Scheuermann’s Kyphosis: a matched-pair radiographic analysis of 92 patients [J]. Spine Deform 3(2):192–198
Lowe TG, Kasten MD (1994) An analysis of sagittal curves and balance after Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation for kyphosis secondary to Scheuermann’s disease. A review of 32 patients [J]. Spine 19(15):1680–1685
Lim M, Green DW, Billinghurst JE et al (2004) Scheuermann kyphosis: safe and effective surgical treatment using multisegmental instrumentation [J]. Spine 29(16):1789–1794
Sarwahi V, Hasan S, Galina J et al (2022) In Scheuermann’s kyphosis, a proximal UIV and postop kyphosis value close to patients’ PI decreases the risk of PJK [J]. Spine Deform 10(5):1175–1183
Zhu W, Sun X, Pan W et al (2019) Curve patterns deserve attention when determining the optimal distal fusion level in correction surgery for Scheuermann kyphosis [J]. Spine J Off J North Am Spine Soc 19(9):1529–1539
Makurthou AA, Oei L, el Saddy S et al (2013) Scheuermann disease: evaluation of radiological criteria and population prevalence [J]. Spine 38(19):1690–1694
Geck MJ, Macagno A, Ponte A et al (2007) The Ponte procedure: posterior only treatment of Scheuermann’s kyphosis using segmental posterior shortening and pedicle screw instrumentation [J]. J Spinal Disord Tech 20(8):586–593
Kim YJ, Lenke LG, Bridwell KH et al (2004) Free hand pedicle screw placement in the thoracic spine: is it safe? [J]. Spine 29(3):333–342
De Jonge T, ILLÉS T, Bellyei A. (2001) Surgical correction of Scheuermann’s kyphosis [J]. Int Orthop 25(2):70–73
Wenger DR, Frick SL (1999) Scheuermann kyphosis [J]. Spine 24(24):2630–2639
Acknowledgements
We thank Medjaden Inc. for its assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.
Funding
This work was supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation, 7232336.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
We declare that we have no conflict of interest.
Device status/drug statement
The Manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Yuan, N., Hu, G., Bridwell, K.H. et al. How to determine the optimal proximal fusion level for Scheuermann kyphosis. Eur Spine J 33, 1021–1027 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-023-08029-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-023-08029-0