Causes of neurologic deterioration following surgical treatment of cervical myelopathy

Neurologic deterioration was analyzed in 110 patients with surgically treated cervical myelopathy secondary to soft disc hernia or spondylosis. Follow-up periods ranged from 2 to 14 years, with an average of 6 years. Of 110 patients, 29 suffered neurologic deterioration. In most of the patients, det...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSpine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Vol. 11; no. 8; p. 818
Main Authors Yonenobu, K, Okada, K, Fuji, T, Fujiwara, K, Yamashita, K, Ono, K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.10.1986
Subjects
Cervical Vertebrae
Humans
Intervertebral Disc Displacement - complications
Intraoperative Complications
Laminectomy - adverse effects
Male
Middle Aged
Nerve Tissue - injuries
Neurologic Examination
Postoperative Complications
Spinal Cord Diseases - etiology
Spinal Cord Diseases - surgery
Spinal Fusion - adverse effects
Spondylolysis - complications
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Summary:Neurologic deterioration was analyzed in 110 patients with surgically treated cervical myelopathy secondary to soft disc hernia or spondylosis. Follow-up periods ranged from 2 to 14 years, with an average of 6 years. Of 110 patients, 29 suffered neurologic deterioration. In most of the patients, deterioration occurred within the first year after surgery. Causes of deterioration were divided into three categories: direct trauma to neural tissue during surgery (a preventable complication); instability of the spine, progression of spondylotic changes above or below the level of fusion, and non-union (apparently unpreventable but treatable); and nonsurgery-related accidental trauma (unavoidable and often irreversible). Countermeasures for the deterioration are discussed.
ISSN:0362-2436
DOI:10.1097/00007632-198610000-00016