title: Outcome of late surgical treatment in patients with incomplete paraplegia due to spinal degenerative diseases.
abstract: METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the outcome of late surgical intervention in patients with incomplete paraplegia due to spinal degenerative diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three men and four women with cervical or thoracic spinal degenerative diseases, who preoperatively were unable to walk for more than 6 months in Mie prefecture, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of clinical records and questionnaire survey regarding the walking ability of patients 2 years after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All seven patients were unable to walk postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A late surgical intervention may not lead to functional recovery in patients with spinal degenerative disease who were unable to walk for at least 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Mie prefecture, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takegami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uchida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome