Mid- to long-term outcomes of posterior decompression with instrumented fusion for thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 87-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masao Koda ◽  
Takeo Furuya ◽  
Akihiko Okawa ◽  
Taigo Inada ◽  
Koshiro Kamiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Posterior Decompression ◽  
Instrumented Fusion

Postoperative progression of ligamentum flavum ossification after posterior instrumented surgery for thoracic posterior longitudinal ligament ossification: long-term outcomes during a minimum 10-year follow-up

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Keyword(s):  
Ligamentum Flavum ◽  
Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ◽  
Vertebral Compression Fractures ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Posterior Decompression ◽  
Fusion Surgery ◽  
Fusion Level ◽  
Estimated Blood Loss

OBJECTIVE The authors sought to investigate clinical and radiological outcomes after thoracic posterior fusion surgery during a minimum of 10 years of follow-up, including postoperative progression of ossification, in patients with thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL). METHODS The study participants were 34 consecutive patients (15 men, 19 women) with an average age at surgery of 53.6 years (range 36–80 years) who underwent posterior decompression and fusion surgery with instrumentation at the authors’ hospital. The minimum follow-up period was 10 years. Estimated blood loss, operative time, pre- and postoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, and JOA score recovery rates were investigated. Dekyphotic changes were evaluated on plain radiographs of thoracic kyphotic angles and fusion levels pre- and postoperatively and 10 years after surgery. The distal junctional angle (DJA) was measured preoperatively and at 10 years after surgery to evaluate distal junctional kyphosis (DJK). Ossification progression at distal intervertebrae was investigated on CT. RESULTS The Cobb angles at T1–12 were 46.8°, 38.7°, and 42.6°, and those at the fusion level were 39.6°, 31.1°, and 34.1° pre- and postoperatively and at 10 years after surgery, respectively. The changes in the kyphotic angles from pre- to postoperatively and to 10 years after surgery were 8.0° and 7.2° at T1–12 and 8.4° and 7.9° at the fusion level, respectively. The DJA changed from 4.5° postoperatively to 10.9° at 10 years after surgery. There were 11 patients (32.3%) with DJK during follow-up, including 4 (11.8%) with vertebral compression fractures at lower instrumented vertebrae or adjacent vertebrae. Progression of ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) on the caudal side occurred in 8 cases (23.6%), but none had ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) progression. Cases with OLF progression had a significantly lower rate of DJK (0% vs 38.5%, p < 0.01), a lower DJA (3.4° vs 13.2°, p < 0.01), and a smaller change in DJA at 10 years after surgery (0.8° vs 8.1°, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Posterior decompression and fusion surgery with instrumentation for T-OPLL was found to be a relatively safe and stable surgical procedure based on the long-term outcomes. Progression of OLF on the caudal side occurred in 23.6% of cases, but cases with OLF progression did not have DJK. Progression of DJK shifts the load in the spinal canal forward and the load on the ligamentum flavum is decreased. This may explain the lack of ossification in cases with DJK.

scholarly journals Long-term outcome of laminectomy and instrumented fusion for cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 1075-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Chen ◽  
Yongfei Guo ◽  
Deyu Chen ◽  
Xinwei Wang ◽  
Xuhua Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Instrumented Fusion

scholarly journals Recurrent ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the upper thoracic region 10 years after initial decompression

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Naoki Segi ◽  
Kei Ando ◽  
Hiroaki Nakashima ◽  
Masaaki Machino ◽  
Sadayuki Ito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ◽  
Posterior Fusion ◽  
Kyphotic Deformity ◽  
Decompression Surgery ◽  
Case Description ◽  
Thoracic Region ◽  
Posterior Decompression ◽  
Region 10 ◽  
Upper Thoracic

Background: Posterior decompression surgery consisting of laminoplasty is generally considered be the treatment of choice for upper thoracic OPLL. Here, we describe a patient who, 10 years following a C3–T4 level laminectomy, developed recurrent OPLL at the T2–3 level with kyphosis requiring a posterior fusion. Case Description: A 64-year-old male with CT documented OPLL at the C3–4, C6–7, and T1–4 levels, originally underwent a cervicothoracic laminectomy with good results. However, 10 years later, when T2–3 OPLL recurred along with kyphosis, he warranted an additional posterior fusion. Conclusion: Due to the long-term risks of developing kyphotic deformity/instability, more patients undergoing initial decompressive surgery alone for upper thoracic OPLL should be considered for primary fusions.

scholarly journals Chiari I malformation with and without basilar invagination: a comparative study

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. E12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Klekamp
Keyword(s):  
Basilar Invagination ◽  
Foramen Magnum ◽  
Chiari I Malformation ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Foramen Magnum Decompression ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Posterior Decompression ◽  
Chiari I

OBJECT Chiari I malformation is the most common craniocervical malformation. Its combination with basilar invagination in a significant proportion of patients is well established. This study presents surgical results for patients with Chiari I malformation with and without additional basilar invagination. METHOD Three hundred twenty-three patients underwent 350 operations between 1985 and 2013 (mean age 43 ± 16 years, mean history of symptoms 64 ± 94 months). The clinical courses were documented with a score system for individual neurological symptoms for short-term results after 3 and 12 months. Long-term outcomes were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier statistics. The mean follow-up was 53 ± 58 months (the means are expressed ± SD). RESULTS Patients with (n = 46) or without (n = 277) basilar invagination in addition to Chiari I malformation were identified. Patients with invagination were separated into groups: those with (n = 31) and without (n = 15) ventral compression by the odontoid in the foramen magnum. Of the 350 operations, 313 dealt with the craniospinal pathology, 28 surgeries were undertaken for degenerative diseases of the cervical spine, 3 were performed for hydrocephalus, and 6 syrinx catheters were removed for cord tethering. All craniospinal operations included a foramen magnum decompression with arachnoid dissection, opening of the fourth ventricle, and a duraplasty. In patients without invagination, craniospinal instability was detected in 4 individuals, who required additional craniospinal fusion. In patients with invagination but without ventral compression, no stabilization was added to the decompression. In all patients with ventral compression, craniospinal stabilization was performed with the foramen magnum decompression, except for 4 patients with mild ventral compression early in the series who underwent posterior decompression only. Among those with ventral compression, 9 patients with caudal cranial nerve dysfunctions underwent a combination of transoral decompression with posterior decompression and fusion. Within the 1st postoperative year, neurological scores improved for all symptoms in each patient group, with the most profound improvement for occipital pain. In the long term, late postoperative deteriorations were related to reobstruction of CSF flow in patients without invagination (18.3% in 10 years), whereas deteriorations in patients with invagination (24.9% in 10 years) were exclusively related either to instabilities becoming manifest after a foramen magnum decompression or to hardware failures. Results for ventral and posterior fusions for degenerative disc diseases in these patients indicated a trend for better long-term results with posterior operations. CONCLUSIONS The great majority of patients with Chiari I malformations with or without basilar invagination report postoperative improvements with this management algorithm. There were no significant differences in short-term or long-term outcomes between these groups. Chiari I malformations without invagination and those with invaginations but without ventral compression can be managed by foramen magnum decompression alone. The majority of patients with ventral compression can be treated by posterior decompression, realignment, and stabilization, reserving anterior decompressions for patients with profound, symptomatic brainstem compression.

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