Clinical results after surgical treatment for degenerative cervical myelopathy: a retrospective 1-year follow-up descriptive analysis

Abstract

Background Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) poses a significant challenge globally, often requiring surgical intervention for moderate to severe cases. Choosing between anterior and posterior surgical approaches remains controversial, highlighting the need to consider various factors such as sagittal balance and compression severity. Methods This retrospective cohort study described patients with DCM who underwent surgery at Carlos Van Buren Hospital between 2014 and 2021. Inclusion criteria involved clinical evidence of myelopathy and cervical spinal cord compression at two or more levels, with data collected preoperatively and postoperatively at 12 months. Results Of the 66 patients analyzed, both anterior and posterior approaches demonstrated substantial clinical improvements postoperatively, with 83% of patients showing overall improvement and 59.1% achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in mJOA scores. Notably, anterior surgeries showed slightly higher rates of MCID achievement and fewer instances of disease progression postoperatively compared to posterior surgeries. Conclusions Our descriptive findings underscore the benefits of both anterior and posterior surgical approaches for DCM, with slight outcome variations. Individualized treatment, considering factors such as clinical symptoms, compression type, and cervical alignment, is crucial. Future research should prioritize comprehensive outcome measures to inform treatment strategies.