Pelvic Incidence as a Predictor of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis in Patients With Lenke Type 5 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study design: A retrospective comparative study.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between pelvic incidence (PI) and proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in patients with Lenke type 5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Background: Although PJK is a common complication of sagittal malalignment after posterior correction and fusion surgery (PSF), few studies have assessed its risk factors. The significance of pelvic morphology in relation to PJK has been suggested but remains unclear in Lenke type 5 AIS patients.

Materials and methods: A total of 92 patients with Lenke type 5 AIS who underwent selective thoracolumbar PSF with a minimum follow-up of two years were included. Patients were divided into PJK and non-PJK groups based on postoperative radiographs. The influence of PI on PJK occurrence was evaluated through binary logistic analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the PI value (low PI, <45°; high PI, ≥ 45°) to identify factors affecting PJK occurrence.

Results: PJK was observed in 17.4% of the whole cohort. Binary logistic regression analysis identified low PI and large TL/L curve as a risk factor for PJK (PI, odds ratio, 0.933; TL/L curve, odds ratio, 1.080). Subgroup analysis showed that the postoperative increase in the upper instrumented vertebra slope in PJK cases was comparable in both the low and high PI groups. Meanwhile, lordotic changes in the fused area in the PJK cases were observed only in the low PI group. No difference in the Scoliosis Research Society 22 scores was observed between the two groups.

Conclusion: From this study a low PI was identified as a risk factor for the occurrence of PJK in Lenke type 5 AIS patients. The occurrence of PJK is influenced by lordotic changes in the fused area and the limited compensatory capacity of the pelvis in patients with a low PI.