title: Reduction in range of cervical motion on serial long-term follow-up in patients undergoing oblique corpectomy for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether motion preservation following oblique cervical corpectomy (OCC) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) persists with serial follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 28 patients with preoperative and at least two serial follow-up neutral and dynamic cervical spine radiographs who underwent OCC for CSM. Patients with an ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) were excluded. Changes in sagittal curvature, segmental and whole spine range of motion (ROM) were measured. Nathan's system graded anterior osteophyte formation. Neurological function was measured by Nurick's grade and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (23 patients) had a single or 2-level corpectomy. The average duration of follow-up was 45 months. The Nurick's grade and the JOA scores showed statistically significant improvements after surgery (p < 0.001). 17% of patients with preoperative lordotic spines had a loss of lordosis at last follow-up, but with no clinical worsening. 77% of the whole spine ROM and 62% of segmental ROM was preserved at last follow-up. The whole spine and segmental ROM decreased by 11.2° and 10.9°, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). Patients with a greater range of segmental movement preoperatively had a statistically greater range of movement at follow-up. The analysis of serial radiographs indicated that the range of movement of the whole spine and the range of movement at the segmental spine levels significantly reduced during the follow-up period. Nathan's grade showed increase in osteophytosis in more than two-thirds of the patients (p ≤ 0.01). The whole spine range of movement at follow-up significantly correlated with Nathan's grade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the OCC preserves segmental and whole spine ROM, serial measurements show a progressive decrease in ROM albeit without clinical worsening. The reduction in this ROM is probably related to degenerative ossification of spinal ligaments.
authors: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632 004, Tamil Nadu, India. mazdaturel@gmail.com
authors: Mazda K
authors: MK
authors: Turel
authors: Sauradeep
authors: S
authors: Sarkar
authors: Krishna
authors: K
authors: Prabhu
authors: Roy T
authors: RT
authors: Daniel
authors: K S
authors: KS
authors: Jacob
authors: Ari G
authors: AG
authors: Chacko
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013995:Time; D016896:Treatment Outcome