Comparative study on the effects of anterior versus posterior approaches surgery in elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the advantages and disadvantages of anterior versus posterior approach surgery in the treatment of cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality in elderly patients.Methods:Clinical data of 31 geriatric patients of spinal cord injuries without radiographic abnormality in our department from January 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed for the cause of injury and the extent of injury.The patients were divided into two groups anterior approach operation group and posterior approach operation group.The operation time, blood loss, volume of drainage, Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score before operation and 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after operation, were recorded in the two groups.Results:Comparing the anterior versus posterior approach operation groups, the median operation time were 100.0(90.0, 110.0)min versus 132.5(123.7, 140.0)min, the median bleeding volume was 30.0(20.0, 35.0)ml versus 175.0(150.0, 202.5)ml, and the median postoperative drainage volume was 20.0(10.0, 20.0)ml versus 210.0(197.5, 237.5)ml, respectively, with statistically significantly differences between the two groups( U=18.00、0.00、0.00, all P<0.01). When comparing the anterior versus posterior approach operation groups, the median JOA scores at 5 time points were 4.0(3.0, 5.0), 6.0(5.5, 8.5), 9.0(8.5, 11.0), 11.0(10.0, 12.5), 12.0(11.0, 13.0)in the anterior operation group, and 4.0(3.0, 7.3), 6.5(5.7, 10.0), 10.5(8.7, 12.3), 12.5(11.0, 13.0), 13.0(11.0, 13.3)in the posterior operation group, with no significantly difference between the two groups( U=89.01, 90.03, 85.50, 74.02, 89.54, P=0.52, 0.55, 0.42, 0.20, 0.52), but there was significant difference in the median JOA scores at each of five different time points( χ2=82.46, 39.23, all P<0.01). Interestingly, the JOA score was higher at the latter time point than at the previous time point, with statistically significantly differences(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Both anterior and posterior approaches for decompression surgery have good effects on the recovery of spinal cord function in geriatric patients with cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality.Anterior approaches for decompression surgery are better than posterior approaches for the less operation time, less bleeding, less drainage and quickly recovery.