title: Intraoperative evaluation using mobile computed tomography in anterior cervical decompression with floating method for massive ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An anterior decompression and fusion (ADF) with the floating method is an effective procedure for treating ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), allowing a direct decompressive effect on the spinal cord. However, the procedure is skill-intensive, particularly in cases of OPLL with a high canal-occupying ratio. In such cases, there are potential risks for insufficient decompression due to the incomplete floating of the OPLL. Here, we introduce an anterior decompression procedure for massive OPLL, using an intraoperative computed tomography (CT) with a mobile scanner gantry for the intraoperative evaluation of the decompression. We further evaluated the outcomes of ADF using mobile CT in comparison with a historical control of ADF without intraoperative CT evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty OPLL patients who underwent ADF with the floating method were evaluated in this study: 25 patients with intraoperative CT (CT group) and 25 patients without CT (non-CT group). In the CT group, intraoperative CT scanning was performed before freeing the ossification from the surrounding bone tissues. The reconstructed images were reviewed to evaluate the extent of bone decompression and thinning of the OPLL. After review of the images, further thinning of the OPLL or removal of surrounding bone was performed as deemed necessary, to complete the floating of the OPLL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' background was similar between the CT and non-CT group. Operating time tended to be shorter for the CT group. On the postoperative CT, incomplete OPLL floating due to "impingement" between the OPLL and the medial aspect of the pedicle or uncovertebral joint was observed for four patients (16.0%) in the non-CT group, whereas insufficient decompression was not observed in the CT group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraoperative CT imaging was effective to avoid insufficient decompression following ADF with the floating method for massive OPLL. We also consider that the intraoperative three-dimensional imaging is helpful for providing informative feedback to surgeons to improve performance in skill-intensive surgeries such as ADF with the floating method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan. yoshii.orth@tmd.ac.jp.|Section of Regenerative Therapeutics for Spine and Spinal Cord, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan. yoshii.orth@tmd.ac.jp.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan. yoshii.orth@tmd.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshitaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshii
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Section of Regenerative Therapeutics for Spine and Spinal Cord, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Section of Regenerative Therapeutics for Spine and Spinal Cord, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inose
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital, Kawaguchi, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Section of Regenerative Therapeutics for Spine and Spinal Cord, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.affiliation: Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital, Kawaguchi, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyasu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Section of Regenerative Therapeutics for Spine and Spinal Cord, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.|Tokyo Medical and Dental University Spine Group, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anterior decompression; Computed tomography (CT); Floating method; Intraoperative evaluation; Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL)