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Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Disc Herniation | Research article

Analysis of sagittal profile and radiographic parameters in symptomatic thoracolumbar disc herniation patients

Authors: Ang Gao, Yongqiang Wang, Miao Yu, Xiaoguang Liu

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Few studies describe thoracolumbar disc herniation (TLDH) as an isolated category, it is frequently classified as the lower thoracic spine or upper lumbar spine. Thus, less is known about the morphology and aetiology of TLDH compared to lumbar disc herniation (LDH). The aim of study is to investigate sagittal alignment in TLDH and analyze sagittal profile with radiographic parameters.

Methods

Data from 70 patients diagnosed with TLDH were retrospectively reviewed. The thoracic-lumbar alignment was depicted by description of curvatures (the apex of lumbar curvature, the apex of thoracic curvature, and inflexion point of the two curvatures) and radiographic parameters from complete standing long-cassette spine radiographs. The rank sum test was utilised to compare radiographic parameter values in each subtype.

Results

We found two subtypes differentiated by the apex of thoracic kyphotic curves. The sagittal profile was similar to that of the normal population in type I, presenting the apex of the thoracic kyphotic curve located in the middle thoracic spine. The well aligned thoracic-lumbar curve was disrupted in type II, presenting the apex of the thoracic kyphotic curve located in the thoracolumbar region in type II patients. Thirty-six patients were classified as type I, and 34 patients were classified as type II. The mean sagittal vertical axis, T1 pelvic angle and L1 pelvic angle were 27.9 ± 24.8°, 8.2 ± 7.3° and 6.2 ± 4.9°, respectively. There was significant difference (p < 0.001) of thoracolumbar angle between type I (14.9 ± 7.9°) and type II patients (29.1 ± 13.7°).

Conclusions

We presented two distinctive sagittal profiles in TLDH patients, and a regional kyphotic deformity with a balanced spine was validated in both subtypes. In type I patients, disc degeneration was accelerated by regional kyphosis in the thoracolumbar junction and eventually caused disc herniation. In type II patients, excessive mechanical stress was directly loaded at the top of the curve (thoracolumbar apex region) rather than being diverted by an arc as in a normal population or type I patients. Mismatch between shape and sacral slope value was observed, and better agreement was found in Type II patients.
Literature
8.
Metadata
Title
Analysis of sagittal profile and radiographic parameters in symptomatic thoracolumbar disc herniation patients
Authors
Ang Gao
Yongqiang Wang
Miao Yu
Xiaoguang Liu
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04033-x

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