title: Myelopathy caused by soft cervical disc herniation : surgical results and prognostic factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical results and prognostic factors for patients with soft cervical disc herniation with myelopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the last 7 years, 26 patients with cervical discogenic myelopathy were undertaken anterior discectomy and fusion. Clinical and radiographic features were reviewed to evaluate the surgical results and prognostic factors. The clinical outcome was judged using two grading systems (Herkowitz's scale and Nurick's grade).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male were predominant (4:1), and C5-6 was the most frequently involved level. Gait disturbance, variable degree of spasticity, discomfort in chest and abdomen, hand numbness were the most obvious signs. Magnetic resonance(MR) images showed that central disc herniation was revealed in 16 cases, and accompanying cord signal changes in 4. Postoperatively, 23 patients showed favorable results (excellent, good and fair) according to Herkowitz's scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion effectively reduced myelopathic symptoms due to soft cervical disc herniation. The authors assured that the shorter duration of clinical attention, the lesser the degree of myelopathy and better outcome in discogenic myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery , Dankook University, College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyeong-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Young-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Suck Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh