Deformity angular ratio is associated with neuromonitoring changes without a vertebral column resection: spinal deformity is more influential than type of surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the deformity angular ratio (DAR) on intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM) signal changes during posterior spinal fusion (PSF) without vertebral column resection (VCR).

Methods: Retrospective review of severe pediatric spinal deformity patients treated with PSF without VCR or three-column osteotomy from 2008 to 2018. Exclusion criteria were prior instrumentation, lack of IONM, and incomplete radiographic data. Coronal DAR (C-DAR), sagittal DAR (S-DAR), and total DAR (T-DAR) were calculated and compared between patients with IONM signal loss and those without.

Results: Two hundred and fifty-three patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-seven of two hundred and fifty-three (19%) patients had IONM signal loss. Intra-operative wake-up test was performed in seven cases; three of seven (43%) had a neurological deficit on wake-up test. All neurological deficits resolved at a mean of 41 days postop. IONM loss was associated with increased kyphosis (p = 0.003) and was not associated with Cobb angle (p = 0.16). S-DAR (p = 0.03) and T-DAR (p = 0.005) were associated with IONM signal loss but C-DAR was not (p = 0.06). Increased incidence of IONM signal loss was seen with S-DAR > 7 (p = 0.02) or T-DAR > 27 (p = 0.02). Twenty-four of ninety-two (26%) patients with S-DAR > 7 had IONM signal loss compared to twenty-three of one hundred and sixty-one (14%) with S-DAR ≤ 7 (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.0). Seven of sixteen (44%) patients with T-DAR > 27 had signal loss compared to forty of two hundred and thirty-seven (17%) patients with T-DAR ≤ 27 (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.3-10.9).

Conclusion: Patients with S-DAR > 7 or T-DAR > 27 have a higher risk of IONM loss during pediatric PSF even in the absence of a VCR or three-column osteotomies.