Investigation of the Efficacy of Bilateral Osteoligamentous Decompression via Hemilaminectomy in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Cervical stability may deteriorate and kyphotic spinal deformities may develop in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) after laminectomy or laminoplasty. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the "bilateral osteoligamentous decompression via unilateral hemilaminectomy approach (UHBOLD)" technique in CSM patients. The study included 34 adult patients who underwent UHBOLD surgery for CSM between 2016 and 2022. A record was made for all patients of age, gender, number of operated levels, preoperative and postoperative long-term follow-up VAS scores, Nurick grade values and mJOA scores, kyphosis angles measured on X-ray, and spinal canal areas measured on T2-weighted MR axial images. Preoperative VAS scores of the patients were 6 (4-9), Nurick grade values were 3 (2-5), mJOA scores were 10.50±3.42, kyphosis angles were-13.34±13.69° and spinal canal areas were 87.11±28.30mm2. In postoperative long-term follow-up of these patients, VAS scores were 2 (1-5), Nurick grade values were 1 (0-5), mJOA scores were 13.94±3.09, kyphosis angles were-15.07±12.78° and spinal canal areas were 149.65±42.57mm2. A statistically significant difference was determined between the preoperative and the postoperative long-term follow-up VAS scores, Nurick grade values, mJOA scores, and spinal canal areas (P < 0.001). Kyphosis angles were not different (P= 0.198), and no instability was observed in any patient in long-term follow-up. The UHBOLD technique performed in multilevel CSM patients did not cause any change in cervical lordosis angle in long-term follow-up, did not cause cervical kyphotic deformity or cervical instability, and significantly improved Nurick grade values, and VAS and mJOA scores.