Back Muscle Mass as a Predictor of Postoperative Complications in Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery.

Abstract

There is a lack of studies on utilising skeletal muscle mass via preoperative lumbar computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging as a predictor of postoperative complications of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery in elderly patients. Patients aged >65 years who underwent PLIF were enrolled. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the erector spinae muscles (CSABoth) was presented as the skeletal muscle mass. Postoperative complications were assessed using CSABoth, pulmonary function testing, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). Patients with postoperative complications showed significantly lower values of CSABoth (median 2266.70 (2239.73-2875.10) mm2 vs. 3060.30 (2749.25-3473.30) mm2, p < 0.001), functional vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at 1 s, and PNI. However, multiple logistic regression analysis identified American Society of Anaesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) I (odds ratio 0.307 (95% confidence interval 0.110-0.852), p = 0.023), ASA PS III (4.033 (1.586-10.254), p = 0.003), CSABoth (0.999 (0.999-1.000), p < 0.001), and postoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (1.603 (1.193-2.152), p = 0.002) as risk factors for postoperative complications after PLIF surgery. CSABoth, ASA PS III, and postoperative RBC transfusion might be used as predictors of postoperative complications after PLIF in patients aged >65 years.