title: Multilevel subtotal corpectomy and interbody fusion using a fibular bone graft for cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
abstract: A retrospective study of the outcomes of multilevel anterior decompression and interbody fusion for cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) was performed to both investigate the long-term results and assess the cause of late deterioration. Twenty-seven patients (mean age, 58.1 years) underwent this procedure and were followed for at least 5 years. The severity of the clinical symptoms was described using the scoring system for cervical myelopathy proposed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA score). The average preoperative JOA score was 7.7, and the score at final follow-up was 13.4 with a recovery rate of 62.0%. A delayed deterioration was attributed to a thoracolumbar lesion other than a compromising alteration of the cervical spine. Consequently, this method of treatment for OPLL could stop the progress of ossification and keep a physiological cervical alignment and thus provide good long-term results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tateiwa
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuzawa
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takaoka
authors.forename: Kuniyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D016896:Treatment Outcome