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Lumbar lordosis equation developed as a reference for adult spinal deformity surgery
Researchers in this cross-sectional study and retrospective multicenter case series successfully determined an equation to find the necessary lumbar lordosis angle to restore an optimal pelvic tilt in elderly patients with adult spinal deformity.
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study and included 184 healthy elderly volunteers with an Oswestry Disability Index score of less than 20%. Researchers evaluated the relationship between pelvic tilt (PT) or lumbar lordosis (LL), and the pelvic incidence (PI) was investigated.
In a second study, a predicted value of PT after an operation was determined using data from 116 adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients. Researchers determined the postoperative pelvic tilt as a function of the pelvic incidence and correct lumbar lordosis through an equation they created. Researchers used the equation “LL= 0.45×PI+31.8,” to determine the optimal lumbar lordosis angle.
“This equation reveals that the ideal LL is approximately 10° larger than the optimal LL, which was determined from healthy elderly volunteers as follows: ‘optimal LL=0.57×PI+16.2.’ Also, compared with Schwab’s recommendation of PI-LL less than 10°, much more LL is necessary to restore the optimal PT after surgery in elderly patients,” researchers wrote in the study. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosure.