OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of curing the cervical spondylotic radiculopathy with the methods of Blade needle closed loosing and reduction with traction at the same time.

METHODSFrom May 2006 to May 2009, 65 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were divided into treatment group and control group according the random number table produced by SAS Software. There were 18 males and 17 females in the treatment group,age in range from 42 to 73 years old with an average of (61.3 +/- 6.4) years, course of disease was from 8 to 42 months with an average of (23.8 +/- 13.8) months, preoperatively cervical functional score was from 4 to 17 scores with the mean of (11.45 +/- 3.31) scores. And in the control group, including 14 males and 16 females, aged from 44 to 76 years old with an average of (62.4 +/- 8.8) years, course of disease was from 7 to 43 months with an average of (24.4 +/- 16.8) months, preoperatively cervical functional score was from 4 to 18 scores with the mean of (11.40 +/- 3.24) scores. The patients of treatment group were treated with Blade needle closed loosing the specific pain point on the neck and shoulder, then immediately underwent traction and reduction after operation. And the patients of control group were treated with traditional traction. The cervical functional score were compared between the two groups at 10, 20, 180 d after treatment, including pain of neck and shoulder, limitation of motion of neck, tenderness of neck, numbness and muscle weakness of upper limb.

RESULTS(1) At the 10th day after treatment, the total score of treatment group was (15.43 +/- 3.46) scores, which was obviously higher than that of control group's (13.17 +/- 3.18) scores (P < 0.01). In different symptoms, treatment group also was better than that of control group (P < 0.05), so as in the tenderness of neck, and especially in the limitation of motion of neck and muscle weakness of upper limb decreased obviously (P < 0.01). (2) At the 20th day after treatment, the total score of treatment group was (18.00 +/- 2.94) scores, which was obviously better than that of control group's (15.90 +/- 2.89) scores (P < 0.01). In different symptoms, treatment group also was better than that of control group (P < 0.05), so as in the pain of neck and shoulder, numbness and muscle weakness of upper limb (P < 0.05), and especially in the limitation of motion of neck, tenderness of neck decreased obviously (P < 0.01). (3) At the 180th day after treatment, the total score of treatment group was (16.63 +/- 3.32) scores, which was obviously better than that of control group's (12.67 +/- 3.42) scores (P < 0.01); In different symptoms, treatment group also was better than that of control group (P < 0.05), so as in the numbness of upper limb (P < 0.05), and especially in the pain of neck and shoulder, muscle weakness of upper limb, limitation of motion of neck, tenderness of neck decreased obviously (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCompared with method of traditional traction, Blade needle closed loosing and traction in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy can significantly obtain clinical effects,which can quickly improve symptoms, relieve pain of neck and shoulder, limitation of motion of neck, tenderness of neck, numbness and muscle weakness of upper limb.