The Effect of the Pedicle-Facet Angle on Degenerative Cervical Spondylolisthesis.
10.3340/jkns.2015.58.4.341
- Author:
Hyung Cheol KIM
1
;
Hyo Sub JUN
;
Ji Hee KIM
;
In Bok CHANG
;
Joon Ho SONG
;
Jae Keun OH
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea. ohjaekeun@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Pedicle facet angle;
Facet joints;
Degenerative cervical spondylolisthesis;
Cervical spine;
Facet orientation
- MeSH:
Case-Control Studies;
Causality;
Humans;
Incidence;
Retrospective Studies;
Spine;
Spondylolisthesis*;
Zygapophyseal Joint
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2015;58(4):341-345
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To measure the orientation of the facet joints of cervical spine (C-spine) segments in the sagittal plane, known as the pedicle-facet (P-F) angle, and to use these measurements to evaluate the relationship between the P-F angle and the amount of vertebral anterolisthesis in patients with degenerative cervical spondylolisthesis (DCS). METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed including 30 age- and sex-matched patients with DCS and 30 control participants. Anterior-posterior and lateral view radiographs of the C-spine were obtained in a standing position. The P-F angle at all cervical levels and the amount of anterolisthesis at C4-5 were measured from lateral view plain radiographs. RESULTS: The P-F angles at C4-5 were 141.14+/-7.14degrees for the DCS group and 130.53+/-13.50degrees (p=0.012) for the control group, and at C5-6 were 137.46+/-8.53degrees for the DCS group and 128.53+/-16.01degrees for the control group (p=0.001). The mean P-F angle at C4-5 did not correlate with the amount of anterolisthesis (p=0.483). The amount of anterior slippage did correlate with age (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The P-F angle was intrinsically higher at C4-5, compared to C5-6, in both the DCS and control groups, which might explain the increased likelihood for anterolisthesis of C4. Higher P-F angles in the DCS group may be a predisposing factor to slippage. The P-F angle may interact with age to increase incidence of anterolisthesis with increasing age.
