• Karel F Willems, Gerard H Slot, Patricia G Anderson, Paul W Pavlov, and Marinus de Kleuver.
• Institute for Spine Surgery and Applied Research, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
• Spine. 2005 Jan 1; 30 (1): 101-7.

Study DesignA historic cohort to determine short-term complications after 115 corrective osteotomies of the cervical and lumbar spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.ObjectivesTo describe the nature of complications of spinal osteotomies and sequelae.Summary Of Background DataLittle is known about the rate and nature of complications after spinal osteotomy in these patients.MethodsA chart review of 106 patients (age, 21-82 years) was conducted. The following surgical techniques were performed: cervical-thoracic extending osteotomy at C6-Th1 (n = 22), lumbar closing-wedge osteotomy (n = 62), polysegmental lumbar osteotomy (n = 20), or a combined anterior-posterior lumbar correction (n = 11).ResultsMany complications (7.8% permanent neurologic deficit, 9.6% deep wound infections, and 10.4% major general complications) occurred after performing a spinal correction. Since 1998, there is a tendency for a lower rate of infections but a higher rate of neurologic and major general complications. Because of 27% deep wound infections and 18% major general complications, the technique of combined anterior and posterior surgery has been abandoned.ConclusionHigh complication rates in this group of patients are partly due to the difficult surgery but also to the underlying disease. The surgery should be concentrated in specialized centers.

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