[Canal laminoplasty with titanium miniplate re-implantation of vertebral lamina].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability and the advantage of canal laminoplasty with laminoplasty over laminectomy for treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.


METHODS
From June 2000 to September 2004, the titanium miniplate fixation technique was applied to re-implantation of the vertebral lamina in the lumbar spine. The vertebral lamina was made with a specially-made osteotome and a special technique in 18 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.


RESULTS
The patients were followed up for 1 yr and 8 mon on average (range, 3 mon-4 yr and 3 mon) and were observed to have a bony fusion of the re-implanted lamina 3-9 months postoperatively. There was no nonunion, displacement of the re-implanted lamina, overgrowth of the anterior bone edge of osteotomy, recompression of the nerves or instability of the lumbar spine.


CONCLUSIONS
The result demonstrates that canal laminoplasty with the titanium miniplate re-implantation of the vertebral lamina in lumbar spine can restore the normal anatomy, keep stability of the spine, and avoid adhesion and scar in the canal.
Chen
Liang
L
Department of Orthopaedics, Ningbo 2nd Hospital, Ningbo Zhejiang, 315010, PR China. alanchenl@yahoo.com.cn
Pang
Qingjiang
Q
Zhang
Qianfa
Q