Knee spine syndrome: Common clinical correlation and its management algorithm

Abstract

Introduction: Various studies have been carried out proposing the concept of knee spine syndrome measuring simultaneous changes in knee flexion and sacral inclination, but none regarding its management. Here in this study, we put forward the management and diagnostic algorithm for the knee and spine disease operated by the same surgeon. Materials and methods: This is a prospective study of 10 patients having knee spine syndrome operated by the same surgeon from January 2016 to January 2018. They were selected and treated as per the treatment protocol put forward and clino-radiological outcomes were evaluated with visual analog scale (VAS), oswestry disability index (ODI) scoring, and radiographs. Results: Age of the patients included in this study ranged from 55–80 years. In 6 patients, the spine was operated first and in others, knee replacement was done as an index procedure. Average pre-operative ODI score was 28.9 which decreased to 7.5 postoperatively at 2-year follow-up. VAS score decreased from 7.4 preoperatively to 1.5. Conclusion: Knee spine syndrome is one of those entities which need to be identified and treated as a whole and not as two different symptomatic diseases. According to our proposed algorithm, radicular symptoms (spinal pathology) should be treated first. In cases of predominant back pain which could be either due to loss of lumbar lordosis or precipitated by deformity caused by malalignment in osteoarthritis knee, knee replacement was considered first. Despite the proposed algorithm, the clinical acumen of the surgeon in determining the leading cause of morbidity may help prevent unnecessary further staged surgeries.