Syndromic Assessment of Degenerative Disorders of the Lumbar Spine in Elderly Patients

Background. The choice of the method and options for surgical treatment of degenerative pathology of the lumbar spine is difficult due to the lack of clear clinical and radiological criteria for diagnosis and a direct correlation between the severity of the radiological manifestations of the disease and clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and neurological characteristics of elderly patients with degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine and to identify the dominant clinical and radiologic syndromes. Methods. Сohort of 1013 patients were operated using MIS technologies (decompression alone, TLIF, LLIF, ALIF) in the period 2013–2017 (367 male/646 female). The age range is 60-89 years (mean 66 years). The criteria for identifying the leading syndromes: leg pain/back pain with a threshold value of 5 points according to VAS, X-ray criteria for clinical instability by A.A. White and M.M. Panjabi (value 5 points), Cobb angle 10°, markers of sagittal imbalance: Index Barrey (II and III), PT increase above target values, L4-S1 and LL deficiency. Results. Symptoms of compression were identified in 97% of patients. Radiculopathy syndrome was detected in 665 (66%) patients with mean leg pain 7 points, neurogenic intermittent claudication — in 319 (31%) patients. Degenerative spondylolisthesis according to radiological criteria was detected in 428 (42%) patients. Degenerative scoliotic deformity had 91 (9%) patients. In accordance with the proposed criteria, the dominant compression syndrome was determined in 624 patients (62%), clinical instability syndrome — in 338 (33%), deformity syndrome with sagittal imbalance — in 51 (5%). Conclusion. Syndromic assessment of clinical, neurological and radiological manifestations of degenerative disorders provides the possibility of identifying the dominant syndrome requiring operative surgical treatment and a differentiated approach to choosing the optimal surgical option

The use of LLIF technology in adult patients with degenerative scoliosis: retrospective cohort analysis and literature review

Introduction Incidence of adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS) among individuals over 50 years old reaches 68%. Surgical interventions aimed at correcting the spinal deformity in patients of the older age group are accompanied by a high risk of complications. The use of LLIF is associated with lower complications as compared with open anterior or posterior fusion. Materials and methods Seventy-one patients with ADS (13 men, 58 women) were operated at the Federal Neurosurgical Center. Their average age was 60.4/60 (average/median) [55;64.5] (1: 3 quartile) years. The follow-up was from 12 to 18 months. X-ray study, SCT, MRI of the lumbar spine were used. Questionnaire surveys were conducted using the visual analog pain scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Deformity correction was estimated in the frontal plane with Cobb’s method. Scoliosis was classified according to SRS-Schwab classification. Parameters of sagittal balance were estimated: PI (Pelvic incidence), SS (Sacral slope), PT (Pelvic tilt), LL (Lumbar lordosis). SVA, PT and PILL (PI minus LL) were defined adjusted for the age. Results Back pain according to VAS relieved from 6.1/6 [4;8] to 2.2/2 [2;3] points (p < 0.001) and was statistically significant at 12 months after the surgery. Leg pain according to VAS decreased from 5.4/5 [4;8] to 2.1/2 [1;3] points (p < 0.001) and was statistically significant at 12 months after the surgery. Functional adaptation according to ODI improved from 51.2/52.2 [38.6;64.1] to 31.8/33.3 [26.1;35.9] (p < 0.001). According to SF36, PH before the surgery was 25.7/24.3 [21.8;28.9] on average and at 12 months after the surgery - 38.7/38.7 [35.4;41.2] (p < 0.001). SF-36 MH before surgery was 27.1/26.3 [21.8;31.4] on average and 12 months later – 41.3/40.6 [36.5;43.7] (p < 0.001). PT before the surgery was 23.3/22° [17.5;28], 12 months later it was 17.9/17° [15;20] (p < 0.001). PI-LL was 11.5/10 ° [4;17.5], 12 months later – 8.4/8 ° [5.5;11.5] (p = 0.11). Transient paresis of femur flexors on the ipsilateral side was observed in five (7 %) cases; transient hyposthesia on the anterior thigh surface occurred in eight (11.2 %) cases. There were two cases of medial malposition (0.4 %) of pedicle screws (474 screws), pseudoarthrosis at two levels (1.2 %) (Grade 4 Bridwell) out of 166 levels performed, and seven (4.2 %) cases of damage to cortical endplates. Conclusion Restoration of local sagittal balance in ADS patients by short-segment fixation using LLIF technology leads to a statistically significant improvement in the quality of life and increases functional adaptation. Few early and late postoperative complications, less intraoperative blood loss and shorter hospital stay make LLIF in combination with MIS transpedicular fixation a method of choice in determining the surgical tactics for ADS in elderly and old age patients