Beyond BMI: L4–L5 visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio on CT predicts impaired wound healing after posterior lumbar fusion—A retrospective study - Summary - MDSpire
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Assessing the L4–L5 Visceral-to-Subcutaneous Fat Ratio via CT as a Predictor of Wound Healing Complications Post-Posterior Lumbar Fusion: A Retrospective Analysis

  • By

  • Jinwang Liu

  • Xiaoping Xu

  • Shaoxing Li

  • Hua Yu

  • June 15, 2026

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Objective:

To determine whether the preoperative VFA/SFA ratio at L4–L5 is associated with impaired wound healing after posterior lumbar fusion (PLF).

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • Impaired wound healing occurred in 11.2% of patients.
    • Patients with impaired healing had higher BMI and VFA/SFA ratios compared to those with good healing.
    • Each 0.1 increase in VFA/SFA ratio was associated with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.32 for impaired wound healing.
    • The AUC for VFA/SFA was 0.70, improving to 0.77 when added to a clinical model.
    Interpretation:

    Limitations:
    • Retrospective design may introduce selection bias.
    • Single institution study limits generalizability.
    • Potential confounding factors not accounted for.
    Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

Beyond BMI: L4–L5 visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio on CT predicts impaired wound healing after posterior lumbar fusion—A retrospective study

  • by Jinwang Liu, Xiaoping Xu, Shaoxing Li, Hua Yu

  • June 15, 2026

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