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Spino-femoral muscles affect sagittal alignment and compensatory recruitment: a new look into soft tissues in adult spinal deformity

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Abstract

Objective

To quantify muscle characteristics (volumes and fat infiltration) and identify their relationship to sagittal malalignment and compensatory mechanism recruitment.

Methods

Female adult spinal deformity patients underwent T1-weighted MRI with a 2-point Dixon protocol from the proximal tibia up to the T12 vertebra. 3D reconstructions of 17 muscles, including extensors and flexors of spine, hip and knee, were obtained. Muscle volume standardized by bone volume and percentage of fat infiltration (Pfat) were calculated. Correlations and regressions were performed.

Results

A total of 22 patients were included. Significant correlations were observed between sagittal alignment and muscle parameters. Fat infiltration of the hip and knee flexors and extensors correlated with larger C7-S1 SVA. Smaller spinal flexor/extensor volumes correlated with greater PI-LL mismatch (r =  − 0.45 and − 0.51). Linear regression identified volume of biceps femoris as only predictor for PT (R2 = 0.34, p = 0.005) and Pfat of gluteus minimus as only predictor for SVA (R2 = 0.45, p = 0.001). Sagittally malaligned patients with larger PT (26.8° vs. 17.2°) had significantly smaller volume and larger Pfat of gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and biceps femoris, but similar values for gluteus maximus, the hip extensor.

Conclusion

This study is the first to quantify the relationship between degeneration of spino-femoral muscles and sagittal malalignment. This pathoanatomical study identifies the close relationship between gluteal, hamstring muscles and PT, SVA, which deepens our understanding of the underlying etiology that contributes to adult spinal deformity.

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Acknowledgements

The manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s). This work received funding from Youth Fund of Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180122). This work received funding from Key Project supported by Medical Science and Technology Development Foundation, Nanjing Department of Health (YKK18092).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, 10021, USA

    Hongda Bao, Frank Schwab & Virginie Lafage

  2. Arts et Metiers ParisTech, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France

    Bertrand Moal, Celia Amabile & Wafa Skalli

  3. Hospital for Joint Diseases at NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, USA

    Shaleen Vira & Thomas Errico

  4. Institut Universitaire de l’Appareil Locomoteur et du Sport, University Hospital of Nice, Nice, France

    Nicolas Bronsard

  5. Académie Nationale de Médecine, 16 rue Bonaparte, Paris, France

    Jean Dubousset

  6. Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

    Hongda Bao

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  1. Hongda Bao
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  2. Bertrand Moal
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Correspondence to Virginie Lafage.

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Bao, H., Moal, B., Vira, S. et al. Spino-femoral muscles affect sagittal alignment and compensatory recruitment: a new look into soft tissues in adult spinal deformity. Eur Spine J 29, 2998–3005 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06488-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06488-3

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