Distal Junctional Kyphosis of Adolescent Idiopathic Thoracic Curves Following Anterior or Posterior Instrumented Fusion: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Prevention

It appears that both posterior and anterior instrumentation for thoracic curves must include the junctional level to prevent postoperative DJK when postoperative DJK is present. The presence of increased kyphosis after surgery in the T10-L2 region seen in both anterior and posterior groups that had postoperative DJK develop constitutes a "risk factor" for the development of DJK.