The Usefulness of Laminoplasty in Cervical Spinal Cord Tumor Surgery

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Laminoplasty is one of the potential surgical options for compressive spinal pathologies. The use of laminoplasty in spinal cord tumor surgery is not popularized by this time. To demonstrate the usefulness of laminoplasty in spinal cord tumor surgery, the authors analyze the results of patients who underwent laminoplasty for removal of cervical spinal cord tumor. METHODS: Between 1992 and 2000, 47 patients had received operation for the removal of the cervical spinal cord tumor. Of them, 29 patients were enrolled for this study. 17 patients received laminoplasty and 12 patients received laminectomy. The medical records and radiologic studies were analyzed retrospectively. The mean follow-up duration was 61.6 months. RESULTS: Modified Kurokawa method for laminoplasty was utilized in all cases. Neurilemmoma was the most common pathology. Average operated segments ware 2.8 segments in laminectomy group and ware 3.8 segments in laminoplasty group. Taking time for the operation with laminoplasty(avg. 291min) was longer than that for laminectomy(avg. 275min). Kyphotic deformity was developed in 1 patient in laminoplasty group and in 2 patients in laminectomy group. All laminoplasty patients revealed stability in radiologic follow-up. One patient who underwent laminoplasty presented recurrent neurilemmoma, which could be removed easily by virtue of less adhesion and undistorted anatomy. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that patients who underwent laminoplasty have less kyphotic deformity and keep space with protection from adhesion. We conclude that the laminoplasty is one of the useful procedures, especially in younger patients with large multiple intradural tumors and mass over several segments.