Cervical kyphosis in patients with Lenke type 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: the prediction of thoracic inlet angle

BACKGROUND Several studies have explored cervical kyphosis (CK) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. However, few studies have evaluated the cervical alignment in these patients according to their coronal curve type. The aim of this study was to analyze the radiological features of cervical sagittal alignment in Lenke 1 AIS patients before and after surgery. METHODS This is a retrospective study enrolled 50 patients. Preoperative and postoperative standing full-length radiographs (at last follow-up after operation) were used to measure the coronal and sagittal parameters. Main sagittal parameters included C2-C7 angle, thoracic inlet angle (TIA), T1 slope, proximal thoracic kyphosis (PTK, T1-5 kyphosis) and thoracic kyphosis (TK, T5-12 kyphosis). RESULTS The TIA of patients with CK was significantly smaller than that of patients with CL (63.0° vs. 76.3°, p < 0.05) and the cutoff value was 71°. The TIA of patients with CK after surgery was significantly smaller than that of patients with CL postoperatively (62.5° vs. 74.6°, p < 0.05) and the cutoff value was 62°. In patients with postoperative CL, there was a significant increase in their PTK and a reduction in their TK, regardless of preoperative CL or CK. In patients whose CL deteriorated to CK after surgery, both their PTK and TK significantly decreased after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Patients with TIA less than 71° were more likely to have CK. And patients with TIA less than 62° would lead to the postoperative uncorrected or new onset of CK. The increased PTK after operation could have a beneficial effect on the improvement of CL.