Correlation between sagittal balance and thoracolumbar elastic energy parameters in 42 spines subject to spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis and 21 normal spines

Bračun, Špela (author), Romolo, Anna (author), Rehakova, Veronika (author), Leban, Jure (author), Pukšič, Žan (author), Vengust, Rok (author), Daniel, Matej (author), Kralj-Iglič, Veronika (author), Drab, Mitja (author)

The curvature of the lumbar spine plays a critical role in maintaining spinal function, stability, weight distribution, and load transfer. We have developed a mathematical model of the lumbar spine curve by introducing a novel mechanism: minimization of the elastic bending energy of the spine with respect to two biomechanical parameters: dimensionless lumbosacral spinal curvature ▫$c_{LS}$▫ and dimensionless curvature increment along the spine CI. While most of the biomechanical studies focus on a particular segment of the spine, the distinction of the presented model is that it describes the shape of the thoracolumbar spine by considering it as a whole (non-locally) and thus includes interactions between the different spinal levels in a holistic approach. From radiographs, we have assessed standard geometrical parameters: lumbar lordosis LL, pelvic incidence PI, pelvic tilt PT, sacral slope ▫$\psi_0$▫ and sagittal balance parameter SB = sagittal vertical axis (SVA)/sacrumbicoxofemoral distance (SFD) of 42 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (SS) or degenerative spondylolisthesis (SL) and 21 radiologically normal subjects. SB statistically significantly correlated with model parameters ▫$c_{L5}$▫ (r = − 0.34, p = 0.009) and − CI (r = 0.33, p = 0.012) but not with standard geometrical parameters. A statistically significant difference with sufficient statistical power between the patients and the normal groups was obtained for ▫$c_{LS}$▫ , CI, and SB but not for standard geometrical parameters. The model provides a possibility to predict changes in the thoracolumbar spine shape in surgery planning and in assessment of different spine pathologies.

• Language: English
• Keywords: lumbar lordosis, thoracolumbar spine, elastic energy, sagittal balance, spine curvature
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; MF - Faculty of Medicine; ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, iss. 19, arti.e38469
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-163380
• UDC: 577:611
• ISSN on article: 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38469
• COBISS.SI-ID: 210330883
• Publication date in RUL: 04.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Heliyon
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2405-8440
• COBISS.SI-ID: 21607432

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ledvena lordoza, torakolumbalna hrbtenica, elastična energija, sagitalno ravnotežje, ukrivljenost hrbtenice

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0232
• Name: Analiza biomedicinskih slik in signalov

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0388
• Name: Mehanizmi varovanja zdravja