Can Preoperative Hounsfield Unit Measurement Help Predict Mechanical Failure in Metastatic Spinal Tumor Surgery?

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with mechanical failure in patients undergoing spinal instrumentation without fusion for metastatic spinal tumors. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data from 220 patients with spinal tumors who underwent instrumentation without fusion. Propensity scores were used to match preoperative variables, resulting in the inclusion of 24 patients in the failure group (F group) and 72 in the non-failure group (non-F group). Demographic, surgical, and radiological characteristics were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were conducted to identify predictors of mechanical failure. Results: Propensity score matching resulted in a balanced distribution of covariates. Lower Hounsfield unit (HU) values at the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) were the only independent predictor of implant failure (p = 0.037). A cutoff value of 127.273 HUs was determined to predict mechanical failure, with a sensitivity of 59.1%, specificity of 73.4%, and area under the curve of 0.655 (95% confidence interval: 0.49-0.79). A significant difference in survival was observed between the groups with HU values above and below the cutoff (p = 0.0057). Cement-augmented screws were underutilized, with an average of only 0.2 screws per patient in the F group. Conclusions: Preoperative LIV HU values < 127.273 were strongly associated with an increased risk of mechanical failure following spinal instrumentation without fusion. Alternative surgical strategies including the use of cement-augmented screws are recommended for patients with low HU values.