Flatback Correction

Flatback syndrome occurs when the low back loses its natural curvature and becomes flat over time. With flatback syndrome there is a decreased lordosis and when this occurs the spine becomes unbalanced and the patient will start to lean forward. Symptoms of flatback syndrome often worsen as the day goes on, as the patient tends to lean further and further forward. The severity of symptoms often depends on the amount of curvature present and associated difficulty with standing upright. Patient’s spine will automatically try to compensate for this imbalance by tilting their pelvis, flexing their knees or hips. This imbalance over time can cause muscle fatigue and pain.

Often the degree of flatback deformity worsens with age as there is natural disc degeneration and collapse over time. The goal of this surgery is to restore the normal lordosis; this is done by surgically removing the degenerative discs and replacing them with implants. These implants restore the disc height loss over time and often are hyper-lordotic implants meaning they also restore lordosis. Some examples of these types of surgeries include anterior lumbar interbody fusion and lateral interbody fusion. The surgery also utilizes screws and rods in the back to stabilize the implants and help fuse the spine in a more normal alignment.