Effect of correction surgery for cervical kyphosis on compensatory mechanisms in overall spinopelvic sagittal alignment

Progression of kyphotic deformity at the middle/lower cervical spine can cause difficulty with horizontal gaze, so compensation at other spinopelvic parts may occur. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear. The present study investigated the effect of correction surgery for cervical kyphosis on the compensatory mechanisms in overall spinopelvic sagittal alignment. Forty-one patients, comprising 23 males and 18 females (mean age 67 years), underwent correction surgery for cervical kyphosis using the posterior screw-rod system. Spinopelvic lateral radiographs in the standing position were taken before and after surgery. C0-1 angle, C1-2 angle, clivo-axial angle (CAA), C2-7 angle, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, and sacral slope were measured. Correlations between C2-7 angle and these parameters before surgery, and correlations between the correction angle of cervical kyphosis and postoperative changes of these parameters were evaluated. Negative correlations were found between the C2-7 angle and CAA (R = -0.640, p < 0.01), and C2-7 angle and C0-1 angle (R = -0.762, p < 0.001) before surgery. Negative correlations were found between the correction angle of C2-7 and change of CAA (R = -0.718, p < 0.001), and between the correction angle of C2-7 and change of C0-1 angle (R = -0.672, p < 0.01) after surgery. The present study demonstrated that C0-1 angle and CAA are more important in the compensatory mechanism for kyphotic deformity at the middle/lower cervical spine compared to downward parameters. That is, to maintain horizontal gaze, lordosis increases at the cranio-cervical junction with greater kyphosis at the middle/lower cervical spine. Correction of cervical kyphosis in the middle/lower cervical spine resulted in normalization of the C0-1 angle and CAA because the compensatory mechanism at the cranio-cervical junction for obtaining horizontal gaze was no longer necessary after surgical intervention.