Comparison of Short-Term Clinical Results and Radiologic Changes Between Two Different Minimally Invasive Decompressive Surgical Methods for Lumbar Canal Stenosis: Lumbar Spinous Process Splitting Laminectomy and Trans-Interspinous Lumbar Decompression.

Study Design: A multicenter, retrospective study.

Objective: To clarify the clinical and radiological effects of removing interspinous contextures in lumbar decompression surgery for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Summary Of Background Data: There have seldom been reports that have compared both clinical results and radiological changes among minimally invasive decompression methods.

Can prophylactic C4/5 foraminotomy prevent C5 palsy after cervical laminoplasty with and without posterior instrumented fusion with maximal expansion?

Objective: To prospectively examine whether laminoplasty with maximal expansion induces C5 palsy, even with prophylactic bilateral C4/5 foraminotomy.

Methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients with cervical myelopathy underwent laminoplasty (n = 19: LP group) or posterior decompression and fusion (n = 16: PDF group) with maximal expansion. Prophylactic bilateral C4/5 foraminotomy was performed alternately in consecutive five patients undergoing each type of surgery.

Severe C8 or T1 Symptoms after Cervical Laminoplasty and Related Factors: Are Tere Any Differences between C3-C6 Laminoplasty and C3-C7 Laminoplasty?

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Purpose: We experienced the situation wherein some patients had new-onset pain or dysesthesia around the ring and little fingers (C8 symptom) or ulnar aspect of the forearm (T1 symptom) after cervical laminoplasty (LP). We investigated the incidence and the cause of new C8 or T1 symptoms and the clinical outcomes after C3-C6 LP or C3-C7 LP.

Fixed Neck Position in Multilevel Cervical Posterior Decompression and Fusion to Reduce Postoperative Disturbances of Cervical Spine Function.

Introduction: Difficulties with neck mobility often interfere with patients' activities of daily living (ADL) after cervical posterior spine surgery. The range of motion of the cervical spine decreases markedly after multilevel cervical posterior decompression and fusion (PDF). However, details regarding the limitations of cervical spine function due to postoperative reduced neck mobility after multilevel PDF are as yet unclarified.

A novel posterior approach preserving three muscles inserted at C2 in multilevel cervical posterior decompression and fusion using C2 pedicle screws.

Purpose: To present a novel posterior approach in multilevel cervical posterior decompression and fusion (PDF) using C2 pedicle screws that preserves the rectus capitis posterior major, oblique capitis inferior, and semispinalis cervicis.

Methods: We analyzed 30 consecutive patients who underwent C2-T1 PDF using an approach that preserved these three muscles without resecting. We assessed O-C2 range of motion (ROM), cross-sectional area of the cervical posterior muscles, rotational ROM, visual analog scale (VAS) for axial pain, neck disability index (NDI), and limitations of activities of daily living (ADL) involving neck movements.

K-line (-) in the Neck-Flexed Position in Patients With Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Is a Risk Factor for Poor Clinical Outcome After Cervical Laminoplasty.

Study Design: Retrospective study comparing postoperative clinical outcomes after cervical laminoplasty between K-line (-) ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and K-line (+) OPLL in the neck-flexed position.

Objective: To investigate postoperative outcomes using Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores, and grip-and-release (GR) and foot-tap (FT) test scores after laminoplasty in patients with K-line (-) OPLL in the neck-flexed position.

Summary Of Background Data: Cervical laminoplasty has been reported to lead to poor outcomes in K-line (-) OPLL and good outcomes in K-line (+) OPLL.

The relationship between the anatomy of the nuchal ligament and postoperative axial pain after cervical laminoplasty: cadaver and clinical study.

Study Design: A cadaver and clinical study investigated the attachment of the nuchal ligament to the cervical spinous process.

Objective: To investigate the anatomical details of the attachment of the nuchal ligament to the spinous process and the relationship between the morphology of the nuchal ligament and postoperative axial pain after laminoplasty.

Summary Of Background Data: The relationship between the length of the C6 spinous process and the morphology of the nuchal ligament and occurrence of postoperative axial pain has not been elucidated.

Simple foot tapping test as a quantitative objective assessment of cervical myelopathy.

Study Design: A clinical and cohort study.

Objective: The first purpose of this study was to investigate the standard value of a simple foot tapping test (FTT) in a large healthy population. The second purpose was to elucidate the validity of FTT as a quantitative assessment of lower extremity motor function for cervical compressive myelopathy.

Preserving the C7 spinous process with its muscles attached: effect on axial symptoms after cervical laminoplasty.

Background: Many efforts to reduce axial symptoms after cervical laminoplasty have been tried and reported; nevertheless, avoiding the axial symptoms has not yet been solved. There have been some reports that preserving the muscles attached to the C7 spinous process could reduce axial symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether axial symptoms can be reduced by preserving the C7 spinous process with its muscles attached during cervical laminoplasty.