The Relationship of Minor Trauma with the Surgical Outcome in Patients with Cervical Myelopathy.
10.4184/jkss.2015.22.4.133
- Author:
Min Woo KIM
1
;
Kyu Yeol LEE
;
Dong Ryul KIM
;
Young Hoon JUNG
;
Chul Soon IM
Author Information
1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Dong A University, Korea. gylee@dau.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Trauma;
Myelopathy;
Recovery
- MeSH:
Accidents, Traffic;
Constriction, Pathologic;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Longitudinal Ligaments;
Retrospective Studies;
Spinal Canal;
Spinal Cord Diseases*
- From:Journal of Korean Society of Spine Surgery
2015;22(4):133-139
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of trauma on the neurologic course in patients who have undergone surgery for cervical myelopathy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The postsurgical outcomes were worse from trauma in patients who had a cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) or cervical canal stenosis, in comparison with patients who did not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 70 patients who had undergone surgery due to cervical myelopathy from January 2004 to December 2013 and had at least 1 year of follow-up. Depending on trauma history, the patients were divided into two groups, and their radiological (simple radiographic, computed tomographic, and magnetic resonance imaging) and clinical (Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] score, motor power of upper extremities) results were compared retrospectively. RESULTS: Among 70 patients in total, 18 patients were in the trauma group and 52 were in the non-trauma group, and all cases in the trauma group had a history of minor trauma (11 cases of drivers traffic accidents, 4 cases of slipping and falling, 2 cases of minor pedestrian accidents, and 1 case of falling). Radiologically narrower diameter of the spinal canal showed statistically significant difference between two groups (p=0.042). The JOA scores before and after surgery and the recovery rate did not have a clinically meaningful difference with trauma. However, the degree of motor improvement was significantly higher for the trauma group within 1 week after surgery (p=0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Minor trauma itself may adversely affect the patients' clinical courses.
