Introduction: The study investigated the complications of adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery in Japan in 2022 using the Japanese Orthopedic Association National Registry/Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research Database (JOANR/JSSR-DB).
Methods: Among the 158,407 patients registered in JOANR/JSSR-DB, 4,822 patients aged ≥19 years (1,115 males [23.1%], 3,707 females [76.9%]) were included in this study. Diagnoses were scoliosis in 1,961 patients (40.7%), kyphosis in 1,613 patients (33.4%), and kyphoscoliosis in 1,248 patients (25.9%). Intra-operative and postoperative/systemic complications (within 30 days) were investigated.
Results: The age distribution was 468 (9.7%) aged 19-39, 855 (17.7%) aged 40-64, 1,779 (36.9%) aged 65-74, and 1,720 (35.7%) individuals aged ≥75 years, with 72.6% of the total population aged ≥65 years. The total complication rate was 11.8% (567 patients), with 6.2% in patients aged 19-39 years, 12.6% in patients aged 40-64 years, 11.6% in patients aged 65-74 years, and 13.0% in patients aged ≥75 years, whose rate was significantly higher (p<0.001). Intra-operative complications occurred in 215 patients (4.5%). Dural tear in 110 patients (2.3%), massive bleeding (>2,000 ml) in 54 (1.1%), implant-related complications in 14 (0.3%), and intra-operative nerve injury in 10 patients (0.2%). Postoperative complications occurred in 266 patients (5.5%). Lower extremity paralysis in 99 patients (2.0%), surgical site infection in 55 (1.1%), vertebral body or endplate injury in 25 (0.5%), epidural hematoma in 18 (0.4%), and weakness of the iliopsoas muscle due to lateral lumbar interbody fusion in 21 patients (0.4%). Systemic complications occurred in 162 patients (3.4%) with urinary tract infection in 29 (0.6%) and postoperative delirium in 26 (0.5%).
Conclusions: While the 11.8% total complication rate was lower than previous reports, rates were higher in patients aged ≥75, indicating the need for careful perioperative management in elderly patients.
