ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of C3 expanded half lamina excision combined with unilateral open door laminoplasty for multiple segmental cervical spinal cord compression syndrome. METHODS: The clinical data of 58 patients with multiple segmental cervical spinal cord compression syndrome underwent surgical treatment between September 2014 and May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 34 males and 24 females with a mean age of 64.4 years old (ranged from 46 to 78 years old). Among them, 28 cases received the surgery of C3 expanded half lamina excision combined with C4-C7 unilateral open-door laminoplasty (improvedgroup), and 30 cases received a single C3-C7 unilateral open-door laminoplasty (traditional group). Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications including C5 nerve root palsy and axial symptoms were compared between two groups. To evaluate the situation of the imaging indicators by measuring the space available for the spinal cord through cross sectional MRI of cervical spine at the narrowest segment of C3 (including intervertebral disc levels of C3, 4). Pre- and post-operative Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA) score, Neck Disability Index(NDI) score, and improvement rate of neurological function, were recorded and analyzed between the two groups. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months with an average of(14.5±1.8) months for improved group and (14.5±1.9) months for traditional group, and no significant difference was found between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss and C5 nerve root palsy between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time (119±10) min vs (126±12) min and axial symptoms 7.1%(2/28) vs 26.6%(8/30) was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Preoperative and postoperative space available for the spinal cord of C3 was (93.61±9.02) mm3 and (153.50±12.76) mm3 respectively, which was obtained obvious improvement in all patients(P<0.05). At the final follow up, JOA scores of improved group and traditional group were 14.36±1.70 and 14.03±1.82 respectively, and NDI scores were 10.36±2.55 and 12.47±3.46 respectively, there was significant difference between two groups (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between two groups for the improvement rate (68.36±0.12)%VS (65.01±0.12)%of neurological function(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: C3 expanded half lamina excision combined with unilateral open-door laminoplasty is an effective method to treat multiple segmental cervical spinal cord compression syndrome, for it can not only fully relieved spinal cord compression, but also achievedgood effect in preventing complications such as axial symptoms by reducing stripping of muscles from C2 spinous process.
