title: Image analysis of open-door laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: comparing the influence of cord morphology and spine alignment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have identified the factors affecting the surgical outcome of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) following laminoplasty. Nonetheless, the effect of these factors remains controversial. It is unknown about the association between pre-operative cervical spinal cord morphology and post-operative imaging result following laminoplasty. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of pre-operative cervical spinal cord morphology on post-operative imaging in patients with CSM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with CSM undergoing open-door laminoplasty were classified according to pre-operative cervical spine bony alignment and cervical spinal cord morphology, and the results were evaluated in terms of post-operative spinal cord posterior drift, and post-operative expansion of the antero-posterior dura diameter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the result of study, pre-operative spinal cord morphology was an effective classification in predicting surgical outcome - patients with anterior convexity type, description of cervical spinal cord morphology, had more spinal cord posterior migration than those with neutral or posterior convexity type after open-door laminoplasty. Otherwise, the interesting finding was that cervical spine Cobb's angle had an impact on post-operative spinal cord posterior drift in patients with neutral or posterior convexity type spinal cord morphology - the degree of kyphosis was inversely proportional to the distance of post-operative spinal cord posterior drift, but not in the anterior convexity type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings supported that pre-operative cervical spinal cord morphology may be used as screening for patients undergoing laminoplasty. Patients having neutral or posterior convexity type spinal cord morphology accompanied with kyphotic deformity were not suitable candidates for laminoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: coleman0719@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bon-Jour
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Meng-Chi
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Meei-Shyuan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shao-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Da-Tong
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hsin-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ming-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Dueng-Yuan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hueng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D065406:Laminoplasty / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy; Open-door laminoplasty; Spinal cord morphology