Outcome of decompression surgery for cervical spinal cord injury without bone and disc injury in patients with spinal cord compression: a multicenter prospective study.
METHODS
A multicenter prospective study comparing the neurological outcome of patients treated by surgical intervention versus conservative treatment for cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without bone and disc injury.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the neurological outcome of decompression surgery for CSCI without bone and disc injury in patients with spinal cord compression with incomplete paralysis (AIS B, C).


METHODS
The Japan LHWO Spinal Injuries Center and the other 10 labor accident hospitals in Japan.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients with AIS B, C and cervical spinal cord compression were classified into either a surgical treatment group or a conservative treatment group. The 34 patients enrolled were equally divided between the groups. Patients with AIS B, C and mild spinal compression were enrolled into another group.


RESULTS
The neurological outcome of surgical treatment and conservative treatment for AIS B, C with spinal cord compression was found to be closely similar. In addition, the neurological outcome was also similar to that observed after conservative treatment for AIS B, C in patients presenting with mild spinal cord compression.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment was not found to be superior to conservative treatment for CSCI patients without bone and disc injury suffering from spinal cord compression in the acute phase.
Kawano
O
O
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Japan LHWO Spinal Injuries Center, Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan. orthosic@orange.ocn.ne.jp
Ueta
T
T
Shiba
K
K
Iwamoto
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*