Analysis of Risk Factors for Adjacent Segment Degeneration Occurring More than 5 Years after Fusion with Pedicle Screw Fixation for Degenerative Lumbar Spine

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. PURPOSE: We investigated the risk factors in adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after more than 5 years of follow-up of lumbar spinal fusion. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There are many concerns regarding ASD followed by lumbar spinal fusion. However, there is a great deal of dispute about the risk factors. METHODS: A total of 55 patients who were followed up for more than 5 years after lumbar fusion were observed. Gender, age, residence, fusion method, number of fusion segments and radiological measurements were analyzed. In the radiological measurement, disc height, lumbar lordotic angle (LLA), fusion segment lordotic angle and fusion segment lordotic angle per level (FSLA per level) were estimated. In preoperative MRI, Pfirrmann's classification was used. The clinical result was evaluated by the criteria of Kim and Kim. Statistical univariate analysis was performed with the chi-square test by using SPSS ver. 12.0. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted with SAS ver. 9. RESULTS: There were 21 patients with adjacent segment degeneration. Further, there was little relationship between ASD and gender, age, residence, fusion method, number of fusion segments, degree of preoperative adjacent disc degeneration in MRI, or preoperative and postoperative LLA. However, the frequency of ASD was significantly low in cases where FSLA per level was >15° (p=0.009). There was no significant relationship between ASD and the clinical result. CONCLUSIONS: In patients followed up for more than 5 years after lumbar spinal fusion, the most important factor in the prevention of ASD was the restoration of FSLA per level to >15°.