Three-level lumbar Ponte osteotomies with less invasive pelvic fixation improve spinal balance, quality of life and decrease disability in adult and elderly women with moderate adult spinal deformity

Purpose To report on quality of life and radiological changes of Ponte osteotomies (POs) with long fixation for primary and revision surgery, in elderly women with adult spinal deformity (ASD). Methods Sixty-seven (67) women, aged 69 ± 7 years, received 3 POs, spinopelvic fixation plus TLIFs. Forty-nine (73%) patients received primary and 18 (27%) revision surgery. Survivorship analysis was made for unplanned revision surgery for broken rods (BR); proximal junction failure (PJF); and deep wound infection (DWI). ODI and SF-36 were used for disability (ODI) and quality of life (SF-36) evaluation. Results In total, 201 lumbar POs were made and 9.55 ± 3 levels fused. All patients were available 49 ± 11 months postoperatively. Postoperatively, SVA, CSVL, PI-LL, scoliosis, PT and T9-spinopelvic inclination were reduced, while LL and SS were increased significantly. At the final visit, PI−LL ≤ 10° was achieved in 26 (39.4%) patients; ≤ 15° in 51 (76%) patients, while all 67 patients showed a PI−LL ≤ 20°. Unplanned reoperation was performed in 11 (16.4%) patients: for BR in 5 (7.5%); for PJF in 3 (4.5%) and for DWI in 3 (4.5%) patients, respectively. With end point the reoperation for any reason the survival ± SE was 67.8% ± 0.1; for PJF 89.6 ± 0.065; and for BR 76% ± 0.1 in the final evaluation. There was no difference in survival between the primary and revision surgery groups ( P = 0.568). ODI and SF-36 scores were improved postoperatively. Conclusions Three-segment lumbar POs offered and maintained sufficient improvement of lumbar lordosis along with restoration of the sagittal and coronal spinal alignment, improvement of quality of life and disability of female adult and elderly population after primary and revision surgery for ASD.