title: Surgical treatments for cervical spondylotic myelopathy associated with athetoid cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of the patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy associated with athetoid cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors reviewed the clinical and neurodiagnostic findings, surgical managements and outcomes in six consecutive patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy associated with athetoid cerebral palsy who had been treated with surgical decompression and fusion procedures between January 1999 and December 2005. The mean age of the 6 patients (four women and two men) at the time of surgery was 42.8 years (range, 31-55 years). The mean follow-up period was 56.5 months (range, 17-112 months). The neurological outcome was evaluated before and after operations (immediately, 6 months after and final follow-up) using grading systems of the walking ability, brachialgia and deltoid power.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At immediate postoperative period, after 6 months, and at final follow-up, all patients showed apparent clinical improvements in walking ability, upper extremity pain and deltoid muscle strength. Late neurological deterioration was not seen during follow-up periods. There were no serious complications related to surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical decompression and stabilization in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy associated with athetoid cerebral palsy have been challenging procedure up to now. Our results indicate that early diagnosis and appropriate surgical procedure can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and neurological function in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and athetoid cerebral palsy, even in those with severe involuntary movements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, Catholic University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Jeon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Sup
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jong-Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bong
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Young-Sup
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park