Analysis of the relationship between spinal alignment and retrocrural space area in adult spinal deformity surgery: Potential risk factors for acute celiac artery compression syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to reveal the association between spinal parameters and RCS area in patients with adult spinal deformities treated with spinal correction surgery. We hypothesized that reduction of the retrocrural space (RCS) area is related to thoracolumbar alignment, which may cause acute celiac artery compression syndrome (ACACS).

Methods: Eighty-nine patients (age: 68.4 ± 7.6 years; sex: 7 male/82 female) with ASD treated by spinal correction surgery were enrolled. Preoperative and postoperative spinal parameters were measured, and the differences between these parameters were calculated. Postoperative T12 translation was measured and RCS area was evaluated using reconstructed computed tomography. The change of RCS area after surgery was defined as ΔRCS. Patients were divided into increased and decreased RCS groups by the ΔRCS value, and spinal parameters were compared between groups. The correlation between spinal parameters and ΔRCS was calculated.

Results: The patients in the decreased RCS group had greater anterior T12 translation than those in the increased RCS group (p < 0.001). T12 translation was significantly correlated with ΔRCS (β = -0.31, p = 0.017). There were no correlations between ΔRCS and other spinal parameters.

Conclusion: Thoracolumbar alignment was associated with RCS area. Consistent with the hypothesis, overcorrection of the thoracolumbar junction was associated with reduced RCS area and might be one risk factor for ACACS.

Keywords: Acute celiac artery compression syndrome; Adult spinal deformity; Celiac artery; Median arcuate ligament; Retrocrural space; Sagittal alignment.