- Smith, Justin;
- Elias, Elias;
- Sursal, Tolga;
- Line, Breton;
- Lafage, Virginie;
- Lafage, Renaud;
- Klineberg, Eric;
- Kim, Han;
- Passias, Peter;
- Nasser, Zeina;
- Gum, Jeffrey;
- Eastlack, Robert;
- Daniels, Alan;
- Mundis, Gregory;
- Hostin, Richard;
- Protopsaltis, Themistocles;
- Soroceanu, Alex;
- Hamilton, David;
- Kelly, Michael;
- Lewis, Stephen;
- Gupta, Munish;
- Schwab, Frank;
- Burton, Douglas;
- Ames, Christopher;
- Lenke, Lawrence;
- Shaffrey, Christopher;
- Bess, Shay
STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective cohort. OBJECTIVES: Malalignment following adult spine deformity (ASD) surgery can impact outcomes and increase mechanical complications. We assess whether preoperative goals for sagittal alignment following ASD surgery are achieved. METHODS: ASD patients were prospectively enrolled based on 3 criteria: deformity severity (PI-LL ≥25°, TPA ≥30°, SVA ≥15 cm, TCobb≥70° or TLCobb≥50°), procedure complexity (≥12 levels fused, 3-CO or ACR) and/or age (>65 and ≥7 levels fused). The surgeon documented sagittal alignment goals prior to surgery. Goals were compared with achieved alignment on first follow-up standing radiographs. RESULTS: The 266 enrolled patients had a mean age of 61.0 years (SD = 14.6) and 68% were women. Mean instrumented levels was 13.6 (SD = 3.8), and 23.2% had a 3-CO. Mean (SD) offsets (achieved-goal) were: SVA = -8.5 mm (45.6 mm), PI-LL = -4.6° (14.6°), TK = 7.2° (14.7°), reflecting tendencies to undercorrect SVA and PI-LL and increase TK. Goals were achieved for SVA, PI-LL, and TK in 74.4%, 71.4%, and 68.8% of patients, respectively, and was achieved for all 3 parameters in 37.2% of patients. Three factors were independently associated with achievement of all 3 alignment goals: use of PACs/equivalent for surgical planning (P < .001), lower baseline GCA (P = .009), and surgery not including a 3-CO (P = .037). CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons failed to achieve goal alignment of each sagittal parameter in ∼25-30% of ASD patients. Goal alignment for all 3 parameters was only achieved in 37.2% of patients. Those at greatest risk were patients with more severe deformity. Advancements are needed to enable more consistent translation of preoperative alignment goals to the operating room.