Osteoarthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Osteoarthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication. | ||||||||
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Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: 10 years of prospective outcome analysis of anterior decompression and fusion.Chagas H, Domingues F, Aversa A, Vidal Fonseca AL, de Souza JM Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. BACKGROUND: Fifty-one patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) treated by anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion (ACWF) at our institution were included in a study during a period of 10 years to evaluate neurological, anatomical, and functional outcomes including satisfaction levels. METHODS: We have completed a prospective evaluation of 39 patients with spondylotic myelopathy submitted to ACWF during the period of 1989-2000. The data were analyzed for age, duration of symptoms, severity of preoperative neurological deficit, and single-level or multilevel compressive status looking for possible association with prognostic surrogate data and clinical outcome that were evaluated with the Nurick score and a survey of level of satisfaction. RESULTS: Of the 51 patients, 39 fullfilled the intended follow-up being 28 men (71.8%) and 11 women (28.2%). The average age was 63.5 years. Duration of symptoms ranged from 1 to 240 months (mean, 38.1 months). The mean preoperative Nurick scale score was 2.97; the mean postoperative score was 2.1. The most frequently involved vertebral body was C5 (71.7%). The follow-up period was longer than 18 months for all patients. Postoperative nonneurological complications occurred in 8 patients (15.6%). The mortality rate was 1.9% (n = 1). Postoperative results showed improvement in 25 patients (64.1%), no change in 13 (33.3%), and worsening in 1 (2.6%). The correlation coefficient of preoperative and postoperative Nurick scores was 0.733 (R(2) = 0.53). Of the 39 patients, 31 answered the questionnaire for quality of life-19 (61.2%) were very satisfied, 6 were satisfied (19.35%), and 6 were not satisfied (19.35%). CONCLUSION: Most patients (80.6%) were very satisfied or satisfied with the outcome and would decide again for the surgery (87%) if the results were previously known. Anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion was a reliable and rewarding procedure for CSM, with functional improvement in most patients. Excellent long-term outcome results in cervical fusion can be achieved without the use of hardware instrumentation. Published 21 June 2005 in Surg Neurol, 64: S1:30-5; discussion S1:35-6.
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