title: Relationships between sagittal alignment of the cervical spine and morphology of the spinal cord and clinical outcomes in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated with expansive laminoplasty.
abstract: A total of 103 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy undergoing laminoplasty were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate whether sagittal alignment of the cervical spine and morphology of the spinal cord influence surgical outcomes. Sagittal alignment of the cervical spine did not influence surgical outcomes. Neurologic recovery in patients with anterior convexity of the spinal cord was better than in those without this type of spinal cord. In patients with supplementation of decompression at C2, sagittal morphology of the spinal cord did not influence neurologic recovery. It is important to acquire anterior convexity of the spinal cord after surgery if laminoplasty is performed below C3. In patients with kyphosis, where anterior convexity of the spinal cord is not thought to be obtained postoperatively, it is possible that additional decompression of C2 improves outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama City, Japan. kawakami@wakayama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Muneharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Munehito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000150:complications; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013121:Spinal Curvatures / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome