Clinical characteristics and operative treatment of the ossification of ligamentum flavum thoracic spinal stenosis / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To evaluate the clinical characteristics and effect of operative treatment for the ossification of ligamentum flavum thoracic spinal stenosis (OLF-TSS). [Methods]From October 1998 to February 2007,38 patients with OLF-TSS were treated with en bloc hemi-articular process laminectomy. In this group,25 cases were male,and 13 cases were female. The average age was 48 years (range,29～71 years). Totally 81.6% of the lesion was between T10～L1 intervertebral disc space.The average history was 10 months. There were 5.3 percent with protrusion of intervertebral disc of thoracio spine.[Results]Thirty-eight cases were followed-up for 1～8 years,with an average of 3 years and 6 months. Dural injury occurred in 4 cases of 38,3 cases appeared postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. All cases were cured conservatively mainly with bed rest in the prostrate position. According to WANG's evaluation,25 had excellent results,11 had good results,2 had no change and none was poor,The excellent to good rate was 94.7% in this group. There were no patients with the wrong level. No patient neurological functions were deteriorated.[Conclusion]The chinical features of OLF-TSS are very complex. The common symptoms of the disease are progressive onset of numbness,weakness,low back pain,intermittent claudication of the lower extremities,constriction on trunk or lower limbs and sphincter dysfunction. The clinical presentation and neurological examination associated with X-ray film,MRI and CT were the important means of the diagnosis of the disease. Removal of the posterior wall of the thoracic spinal canal via the technique of en bloc hemi-articular process laminectomy is safe and effective to treat OLF-TSS. The strategy for diminishing fault and complications is to discriminate pathogenic segment (locating-diagnosis) and follow the principles of surgical procedure.