Latest research on adult spinal deformity

17 papers · updated 2026-09-26 · Spine · All topics

The newest papers on adult spinal deformity from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.

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Recent papers

  1. Osteoporosis and adult spinal deformity-a review for spinal surgeons by the SRS adult spinal deformity task force on senescence.

    Spine Deformity · Sep 2026 · Review · PubMed

    SRS task force review synthesizes current knowledge on osteoporosis diagnosis, surgical risk, and non-operative/operative management in adult spinal deformity surgery.

  2. Optimization is a Moving Target: A Continuous Modifiable Frailty Index (o-ASD-FI) Reflecting Optimization Prior to Complex Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) Intervention.

    Spine · Sep 07 2026 · PubMed

    This study develops a modifiable frailty index (o-ASD-FI) for adult spinal deformity surgery that incorporates treatable comorbidities and independently predicts longer stay, complications, and worse outcomes, potentially improving preoperative risk stratification.

  3. Surgical Versus Nonoperative Treatment for Adult Spinal Deformity: A Multicenter Propensity Score-Matched Study of 2-Year Patient-Reported Outcomes.

    Spine · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    Surgery produces superior 2-year disability and quality of life outcomes compared to nonoperative care for adult spinal deformity in younger patients with mild-moderate baseline impairment.

  4. Perioperative Anabolic Osteoporosis Pharmacotherapy is Associated with Lower Rates of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis After Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Spine · Aug 17 2026 · PubMed

    Meta-analysis of 13 studies (2,247 patients) finds perioperative anabolic osteoporosis drugs, mainly teriparatide, roughly halve rates of proximal junctional kyphosis and mechanical-failure reoperation after adult spinal deformity surgery.

  5. Proximal Junctional Failure After Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Predictive Risk Factors.

    Spine · Aug 13 2026 · PubMed

    This meta-analysis of 28 studies (4560 patients) found proximal junctional failure after adult spinal deformity surgery is predicted by sagittal malalignment and bone quality, with CT Hounsfield units showing strong diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.86).

  6. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and surgical procedure on surgical site infection in adult spinal deformity surgery - a longitudinal trends study.

    European Spine Journal · Aug 12 2026 · PubMed

    Over 13 years of adult spinal deformity surgery, surgical site infection rates declined after adopting LLIF and vancomycin powder and were lowest during COVID-19, though causation remains uncertain given concurrent practice changes.

  7. Impact of T4-L1-Hip Axis Normalization on Outcomes and Complications in Adult Spinal Deformity.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Jul 21 2026 · PubMed

    In long-segment ASD fusion, both under- and over-correction of T4PA-L1PA alignment increased mechanical complication risk, while normalization didn't improve patient-reported outcomes—pelvic fixation and comorbidities mattered more.

  8. Impacts of Prior Lumbar Laminectomy and Fusion on Long Segment Thoracolumbar Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity.

    Spine · Jul 20 2026 · PubMed

    Prior overlapping lumbar fusion (not prior laminectomy alone) nearly triples revision risk after long-segment thoracolumbar fusion for adult spinal deformity, warranting distinct preoperative counseling.

  9. Clinical and Economic Burden of Poor Bone Health in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

    Spine · Jun 26 2026 · PubMed

    Poor bone health significantly increases proximal junctional failure, revision surgery, and healthcare costs in adult spinal deformity surgery.

  10. Full-Body Radiographic Imaging-Based Thigh Muscle Measurement for Sarcopenia: Association with Functional Assessments and Sagittal Alignment in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients.

    Spine · Jun 24 2026 · PubMed

    Sarcopenia detected on EOS imaging correlates with frailty and compensatory spinal deformity in adults with spinal deformity, enabling preoperative risk stratification.

  11. Comparative morbidity and outcomes for adult spinal deformity corrections spanning C2-pelvis compared to T4-pelvis: a propensity score-matched analysis.

    Spine Deformity · Jun 20 2026 · PubMed

    C2-pelvis fusion for adult spinal deformity caused higher complication rates, prolonged ICU stay, and shorter overall survival compared to T4-pelvis fusion.

  12. Machine Learning-Based Identification of Distinct Risk Factors for Moderate vs Severe Proximal Junctional Kyphosis After Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

    The Spine Journal · Jun 17 2026 · PubMed

    Machine learning identified distinct risk factors for moderate versus severe proximal junctional kyphosis after adult spinal deformity surgery: geometric stress for moderate disease and lordosis maldistribution for severe disease.

  13. Longitudinal comparison of existing frailty indices to predict complications following adult spinal deformity surgery.

    European Spine Journal · Jun 12 2026 · PubMed

    Multiple frailty indices predict worse outcomes in adult spinal deformity surgery; FRAIL Scale best for admission/hospital-acquired conditions, mASD-FI for reoperation.

  14. Enabling technology in adult spinal deformity.

    Spine Deformity · Sep 2025 · Review · PubMed

    This review surveys enabling technologies—planning software, machine learning, 3D printing, AR/VR, patient-specific instrumentation, and robotics/navigation—for improving safety and training in adult spinal deformity surgery.

  15. State-of-the-art reviews predictive modeling in adult spinal deformity: applications of advanced analytics.

    Spine Deformity · Sep 2021 · Review · PubMed

    This review highlights how machine learning and advanced predictive analytics are increasingly being applied to forecast outcomes and complications in adult spinal deformity surgery, potentially improving individualized surgical decision-making.

  16. Complications of Thoracolumbar Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

    JBJS Reviews · May 2020 · Review · PubMed

    Reviews the substantial medical and surgical complication risks—including neurologic injury, junctional kyphosis, and 1-3.5% mortality—associated with adult thoracolumbar spinal deformity surgery, underscoring the need for careful patient counseling.

  17. Revision surgery for non-union in adult spinal deformity.

    European Spine Journal · Feb 2020 · Review · PubMed

    Successful revision surgery for adult spinal deformity pseudoarthrosis requires correcting alignment, restoring anterior column support, and achieving solid fixation; outcomes are generally satisfactory when these goals are met.

Landmark papers

  1. Adult Spinal Deformity—Postoperative Standing Imbalance

    Spine · 2010 · cited 1,106 times · PubMed

    This review establishes that restoring proper spinopelvic alignment—particularly sagittal vertical axis, pelvic tilt, and lordosis proportional to pelvic incidence—is essential for good outcomes in adult spinal deformity surgery.

  2. Radiographical Spinopelvic Parameters and Disability in the Setting of Adult Spinal Deformity

    Spine · 2013 · cited 1,051 times · PubMed

    Pelvic tilt, sagittal vertical axis, and PI-LL mismatch predict disability in adult spinal deformity; threshold values help guide operative versus nonoperative decisions.

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