Syndromic Assessment of Degenerative Disorders of the Lumbar Spine in Elderly Patients

Background. The choice of the method and options for surgical treatment of degenerative pathology of the lumbar spine is difficult due to the lack of clear clinical and radiological criteria for diagnosis and a direct correlation between the severity of the radiological manifestations of the disease and clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and neurological characteristics of elderly patients with degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine and to identify the dominant clinical and radiologic syndromes. Methods. Сohort of 1013 patients were operated using MIS technologies (decompression alone, TLIF, LLIF, ALIF) in the period 2013–2017 (367 male/646 female). The age range is 60-89 years (mean 66 years). The criteria for identifying the leading syndromes: leg pain/back pain with a threshold value of 5 points according to VAS, X-ray criteria for clinical instability by A.A. White and M.M. Panjabi (value >5 points), Cobb angle >10°, markers of sagittal imbalance: Index Barrey (II and III), PT increase above target values, L4-S1 and LL deficiency. Results. Symptoms of compression were identified in 97% of patients. Radiculopathy syndrome was detected in 665 (66%) patients with mean leg pain 7 points, neurogenic intermittent claudication — in 319 (31%) patients. Degenerative spondylolisthesis according to radiological criteria was detected in 428 (42%) patients. Degenerative scoliotic deformity had 91 (9%) patients. In accordance with the proposed criteria, the dominant compression syndrome was determined in 624 patients (62%), clinical instability syndrome — in 338 (33%), deformity syndrome with sagittal imbalance — in 51 (5%). Conclusion. Syndromic assessment of clinical, neurological and radiological manifestations of degenerative disorders provides the possibility of identifying the dominant syndrome requiring operative surgical treatment and a differentiated approach to choosing the optimal surgical option. © Klimov V.S., Khalepa R.V., Amelina E.V., Evsukov A.V., Krivoshapkin A.L., Ryabykh S.O., 2023.