Thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the yellow ligament in patients with posterior instrumented lumbar fusion (original) (raw)
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Asian Spine Journal
We assessed surgical treatment outcomes in patients with thoracic myelopathy due to ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF), and OLF combined with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) or vertebral fracture (VF) at the same level. Overview of Literature: OLF and OPLL cause severe thoracic myelopathy. Osteoporotic VF commonly occurs at the thoracolumbar junction. There have been no investigations of thoracic myelopathy due to OLF and VF. Methods: Forty patients were divided among three groups: the OLF group (n=23): myelopathy due to OLF, the OLF+OPLL group (n=12): myelopathy due to OLF and OPLL, and the OLF+VF group (n=5): myelopathy due to OLF and VF. We recorded OLF, OPLL, and VF sites and operative procedures. Each patient's neurological status, according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and walking ability were evaluated pre-and postoperatively. Results: Patients in the OLF+OPLL group were significantly younger than those in the other two groups. The preoperative JOA score was significantly lower in the OLF+VF than OLF group. The final JOA score was significantly lower in the OLF+VF than OLF and OLF+OPLL groups. The JOA score recovery rate was significantly lower in the OLF+VF than OLF group. Final walking ability was significantly worse in the OLF+OPLL and OLF+VF groups than in the OLF group and significantly worse in the OLF+VF than OLF+OPLL group. Conclusions: Thoracic myelopathy due to OLF+VF occurs primarily in older females, who also exhibit worse preoperative and postoperative neurological status, and worse walking ability, than patients with thoracic myelopathy due to OLF or OLF+OPLL.
International Journal of Research in Orthopaedics, 2023
Background: To undertake a study which outlines the clinical and radiological features of ossification of yellow ligament (OYL) causing thoracic myelopathy (TM) in Indian subcontinent, to assess the outcomes of surgical resection of yellow ligament and compare different preoperative factors that contribute to be a risk factor in the overall postsurgical recovery rates (RR). Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from a cohort of 45 patients who visited our spine OPD from January 2012 to December 2019 who underwent surgical decompression for TM due to OYL was studied. The surgical outcomes and RR were calculated, compared and pre operative risk factors which could possibly be involved in giving poorer RR were analysed. Results: Our study included 45 patients who underwent surgical resection of OYL for TM. On comparison of post operative improvement in myelopathic symptoms, pre-operative mJOA score of 4.56 had increased significantly to 7.83 at 2 years follow up. While the majority (80%) of patients had an excellent and good recovery rate while 16% of patients had a fair recovery rate and 4% had no change at all in comparison to pre-operative mJOA scores. Preoperative risk factors for poor outcomes were also analysed. Conclusions: Early and timely before the onset or progression of any neurologic involvement. The pre operative risk factors which could give guarded prognosis and lower RR are, the presence of intramedullary signal changes (myelomalacia), >6-10 months of progressive pre operative symptoms and an mJOA<5.
Surgical Neurology, 2006
Background: Ossification of ligamentum flavum in the thoracic region causing compressive myelopathy among middle-aged patients is a poorly described entity. Case Description: Five patients of Indian origin with OYL are described. Their clinical presentations, surgical options, and long-term outcome are presented. Radiologic and clinical follow-up of one of the patient is described over a span of 10 years. Conclusions: Decompressive laminectomy and excision of the OYL is the commonly performed surgical procedure. A rapid neurologic improvement follows decompression. The persistent spasticity in certain patients is attributed to irreversible changes within the cord. The disease is thought to be progressive in nature. The prolonged follow-up of these patients suggests that the longterm prognosis is poor. Selective racial involvement and variable clinical presentations, with treatment options, are discussed. D
European Spine Journal, 2009
To investigation of the outcomes of indirect posterior decompression with corrective fusion for myelopathy associated with thoracic ossification of the longitudinal ligament, and prognostic factors. Conservative treatment for myelopathy associated with thoracic ossification of the longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is mostly ineffective, and treatment is necessary. However, many authors have reported poor surgical outcomes, and no standard surgical procedure has been established. We have been performing indirect spinal cord decompression by posterior laminectomy and simultaneous corrective fusion of the thoracic kyphosis. Twenty patients underwent indirect posterior decompression with corrective fusion, and were included in this study. The follow-up period was minimum 2 years and averaged 2 years and 9 months (2-5 years 6 months). Operative results were examined using JOA scoring system (full marks: 11 points) and Hirabayashi's recovery rate, as excellent (100-75%), good (74-50%), fair (49-25%), unchanged (24-0%) and deteriorated (i.e., decrease in score less than 0%). Cases in which the spinal cord is floating from OPLL on intraoperative ultrasonography were defined as the floating (?) group, and those without floating as the floating (-) group. In addition, we used compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) as intraoperative spinal cord monitoring and the cases were divided into three groups: Group A, no change in potential; Group B, potential decreased, and Group C, potential improved. The mean pre-and postoperative JOA scores were 6.2 and 8.9 points, respectively, and the recovery rate was 56%. The outcome was rated excellent in three, good in eight, fair in six, unchanged in two, and deteriorated in one. The mean preoperative thoracic kyphosis measured 58°, and was corrected to 51°after surgery. On intraoperative ultrasonography, 12 cases were included in the floating (?) and 8 in the floating (-) groups; the recovery rates were 58 and 52%, respectively, showing no significant difference between the recovery rates of the two groups. Regarding intraoperative CMAP, the outcome was excellent in one, good in seven, fair in four, and unchanged in one in Group A; fair in one, unchanged in one, and deteriorated in one in Group B, and excellent in two and good in one in Group C. The recovery rates were 50, 48 and 68.3% in Groups A, B and C, respectively, showing that the postoperative outcome was significantly poorer in Group B. Although indirect posterior decompression with corrective fusion using instruments obtained satisfactory outcomes, not all cases achieved good outcomes using this procedure. We consider that additional application of anterior decompressive fusion is preferable when improvement of symptoms occurs not satisfactory after indirect posterior decompression with corrective fusion using instruments. Intraoperative spinal cord monitoring of CMAP demonstrated that the spinal cord was already impaired during the laminectomy via the posterior approach. Concomitant intraoperative monitoring of CMAP to avoid impairment of the vulnerable spinal cord and corrective posterior spinal fusion with indirect spinal cord decompression is recommendable as a method capable of preventing postoperative neurological aggravation.
European Spine Journal, 2017
Purpose The purpose of the study is to describe the biomechanical theory explaining junctional breakdowns in thoracolumbar fusions, by taking the example of vertebral compression fractures. Also, a new angle, the cervical inclination angle (CIA), describing the relative position of the head at each vertebral level, is presented. Methods For the CIA, the data were collected from 137 asymptomatic subjects of a prospective database, containing clinical and radiologic informations. All the 137 subjects have an Oswestry score less than 15% and a pain score less than 2/10 and were part of a previously published study describing the Odontoïd-hip axis angle (ODHA). For each vertebral level from T1 to T12, the CIA as well as the vertical and horizontal distances was measured in reference to the sella turcica (ST), and a vertical line drawn from the ST. Average values and correlation coefficients were calculated. Results The CIA is an angle whose average value varies very little between T1 and T5 (74.9°-76.85°), and then increases progressively from T6 to T12. T1-T5 vertebra are always in line within the thoracic spine for each subject and can be considered as a straight T1-T5 segment. In addition, it was found that the vertical inclination of T1-T5 segment is correlated with the C7 slope (R 2 = 0.6383). Conclusion The T1-T5 segment inclination is correlated with the C7 slope, and because the latter defines the cervical curve as previously shown, the T1-T5 segment can be considered as the base from which the cervical spine originates. Its role is, thus, similar to the pelvis and its sacral slope, which is the base from which the lumbar spine originates. The CIA along with the ODHA, which describes the adequacy of the global balance in young and elderly asymptomatic populations, are two important parameters that could help us to better understand junctional breakdowns in thoraco-lumbar fusion surgeries.
Spine, 2018
Systematic review and meta-analysis. Examine the functional outcomes and complications following laminectomy for thoracic myelopathy due to ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF). OLF is a rare condition that can cause thoracic myelopathy. Laminectomy is a procedure that can be performed to decompress the spinal cord in patients with thoracic myelopathy due to OLF. Few studies have examined postoperative outcomes and complications following laminectomy for thoracic myelopathy secondary to OLF. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Literature search yielded six studies that met our selection criteria. Study characteristics and baseline patient demographics were extracted from each study. Primary outcomes included pre- and postoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and perioperative complications including dural tears, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, neurological deficits, surgical site infections, and other complications. We calculated pooled prop...