We have reviewed 1858 patients who had undergone a cervical laminoplasty and identified 43 (2.3%) who had developed a C5 palsy with a MMT (MRC) grade of 0 to 2 in the deltoid, with or without involvement of the biceps, but with no loss of muscular strength in any other muscles. The clinical features and radiological findings of patients with (group P; 43 patients) and without (group C; 100 patients) C5 palsy were compared. CT scanning of group P revealed a significant narrowing of the intervertebral foramen of C5 (p < 0.005) and a larger superior articular process (p < 0.05). On MRI, the posterior shift of the spinal cord at C4-5 was significantly greater in group P, than in group C (p < 0.01). This study is the first to correlate impairment of the C5 nerve root with a C5 palsy. It may be that early foraminotomy in susceptible individuals and the avoidance of tethering of the cord by excessive laminoplasty may prevent a post-operative palsy of the C5 nerve root.

Object The authors investigated the outcome of intramedullary spinal cord tumor surgery, focusing on the effect of preoperative neurological status on postoperative mobility and the extent of tumor excision guided by intraoperative spinal cord monitoring prospectively. Methods Intramedullary spinal cord tumor surgery was performed in 131 patients between 1997 and 2007. The authors compared the pre- and postoperative neurological status and examined the type of surgery in 106 of these patients. A modified McCormick Scale (Grades I–V) was used to assess ambulatory ability (I = normal ambulation; II = mild motor sensory deficit, independent without external aid; III = independent with external aid; IV = care required; and V = wheelchair required). The type of surgery was classified into 4 levels: total resection, subtotal resection, partial resection, and biopsy. Results The 106 patients consisted of 47 females and 59 males, whose average age was 42.5 years (range 6–75 years). The mean follow-up period was 7.3 years (range 2.5 months–21 years). The tumor types included astrocytoma (12 cases), ependymoma (46 cases), hemangioblastoma (16 cases), cavernous hemangioma (17 cases), and others (15 cases overall: gangliocytoma, 1; germ cell tumor, 1; lymphoma, 3; neurinoma, 1; meningioma, 1; oligodendroglioma, 1; sarcoidosis, 2; glioma, 1; and unknown, 4). Initial total excision, subtotal resection, partial resection, biopsy, and duraplasty were performed in 59, 12, 22, 12, and 1 patients, respectively. According to the preoperative McCormick Scale, ambulatory status was classified as Grades I, II, III, IV, and V in 41(38%), 30 (28%), 14 (13%), 19 (19%), and 2 (2%) patients, respectively. Thirty-three (31%) of 106 patients suffered postoperative neurological deterioration. The number of patients who did not lose ambulatory ability or who achieved an ambulatory status of Grade I or II postoperatively was 33 (80%), 21 (70%), 10 (71%), 8 (42%), and 1 (50%) in patients with preoperative Grades I, II, III, IV, and V, respectively. Total excision was performed in 31 (79%) of 39 patients with preoperative Grade I, 12 (40%) of 30 patients with Grade II, 7 (50%) of 14 patients with Grade III, and 9 of 21 patients (38%) with Grade IV or V, indicating that the rate of total excision was significantly higher in patients with Grade I status. Conclusions The postoperative ambulatory ability was excellent in patients with a good preoperative neurological status. Total excision in patients with Grade I or II ambulation was associated with a good prognosis for postoperative mobility. However, the rate of postoperative deterioration was 31.5%, which is relatively high, and patients should be fully informed of this concern prior to intramedullary spinal cord tumor surgery.

Object The cervical pedicle screw (PS) provides strong stabilization but poses a potential risk to the neurovascular system, which may be catastrophic. In particular, vertebrae with degenerative changes complicate the process of screw insertion, and PS misplacement and subsequent complications are more frequent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the peri- and postoperative complications of PS fixation for nontraumatic lesions and to determine the risk factors of each complication. Methods Eighty-four patients who underwent cervical PS fixation for nontraumatic lesions were independently reviewed to identify associated complications. The mean age of the patients was 60.1 years, and the mean follow-up period was 4.1 years (range 6–168 months). Pedicle screw malpositioning was classified on postoperative CT scans as Grade I (< 50% of the screw outside the pedicle) or Grade II (≥ 50% of the screw outside the pedicle). Risk factors of each complication were evaluated using a multivariate analysis. Results Three hundred ninety cervical PSs and 24 lateral mass screws were inserted. The incidence of PS misplacement was 19.5% (76 screws); in terms of malpositioning, 60 screws (15.4%) were classified as Grade I and 16 (4.1%) as Grade II. In total, 33 complications were observed. These included postoperative neurological complications in 11 patients in whom there was no evidence of screw misplacement (C-5 palsy in 10 and C-7 palsy in 1), implant failure in 11 patients (screw loosening in 5, broken screws in 4, and loss of reduction in 2), complications directly attributable to screw insertion in 5 patients (nerve root injury by PS in 3 and vertebral artery injury in 2), and other complications in 6 patients (pseudarthrosis in 2, infection in 1, transient dyspnea in 1, transient dysphagia in 1, and adjacent-segment degeneration in 1). The multivariate analysis showed that a primary diagnosis of cerebral palsy was a risk factor for postoperative implant failure (HR 10.91, p = 0.03) and that the presence of preoperative cervical spinal instability was a risk factor for both Grade I and Grade II screw misplacement (RR 2.12, p = 0.03), while there were no statistically significant risk factors for postoperative neurological complications in the absence of evidence of screw misplacement or complications directly attributable to screw insertion. Conclusions In the present study, misplacement of cervical PSs and associated complications occurred more often than in previous studies. The rates of screw-related neurovascular complications and neurological deterioration unrelated to PSs were high. Insertion of a PS for nontraumatic lesions is surgically more challenging than that for trauma; consequently, experienced surgeons should use PS fixation for nontraumatic cervical lesions only after thorough preoperative evaluation of each patient's cervical anatomy and after considering the risk factors specified in the present study.

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The prevalence of DISH based on CT was 27.1%, which was higher than that of x-ray. In addition, intra- and inter-observer error by review of CT was less than that of x-ray. CT evaluation would be a better method for precise understanding of the state of DISH.

Object Postoperative C-5 palsy is a significant complication resulting from cervical decompression procedures. Moreover, when cervical degenerative diseases are treated with a combination of decompression and posterior instrumented fusion, patients are at increased risk for C-5 palsy. However, the clinical and radiological features of this condition remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors for developing postoperative C-5 palsy. Methods Eighty-four patients (mean age 60.1 years) who had undergone posterior instrumented fusion using cervical pedicle screws to treat nontraumatic lesions were independently reviewed. The authors analyzed the medical records of some of these patients who developed postoperative C-5 palsy, paying particular attention to their plain radiographs, MRI studies, and CT scans. Risk factors for postoperative C-5 palsy were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The cutoff values for the pre- and postoperative width of the intervertebral foramen (C4–5) were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Ten (11.9%) of 84 patients developed postoperative C-5 palsy. Seven patients recovered fully from the neurological complications. The pre- and postoperative C4–5 angles showed significant kyphosis in the C-5 palsy group. The pre- and postoperative diameters of the C4–5 foramen on the palsy side were significantly smaller than those on the opposite side in the C-5 palsy group and those bilaterally in the non–C5 palsy group. Risk factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis were as follows: 1) ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (relative risk [RR] 7.22 [95% CI 1.03–50.55]); 2) posterior shift of the spinal cord (C4–5) (RR 1.73 [95% CI 1.00–2.98]); and 3) postoperative width of the C-5 intervertebral foramen (RR 0.33 [95% CI 0.14–0.79]). The cutoff values of the pre- and postoperative widths of the C-5 intervertebral foramen for C-5 palsy were 2.2 and 2.3 mm, respectively. Conclusions Patients with preoperative foraminal stenosis, posterior shift of the spinal cord, and additional iatrogenic foraminal stenosis due to cervical alignment correction were more likely to develop postoperative C-5 palsy after posterior instrumentation with fusion. Prophylactic foraminotomy at C4–5 might be useful when preoperative foraminal stenosis is present on CT. Furthermore, it might be useful for treating postoperative C-5 palsy. To prevent excessive posterior shift of the spinal cord, the authors recommend that appropriate kyphosis reduction should be considered carefully.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare bone union rate between autologous iliac bone and local bone graft in patients treated by posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using carbon cage for single level interbody fusion. Methods The subjects were 106 patients whose course could be observed for at least 2 years. The diagnosis was lumbar spinal canal stenosis in 46 patients, herniated lumbar disk in 12 patients and degenerative spondylolisthesis in 51 patients. Single interbody PLIF was done using iliac bone graft in 53 patients and local bone graft in 56 patients. Existence of pseudo-arthrosis on X-P (AP and lateral view) was investigated during the same follow up period.Results No significant differences were found in operation time and blood loss. Significant differences were also not observed in fusion grade at any follow up period or in fusion progression between the two groups. Donor site pain continued for more than 3 months in five cases (9 %). The final fusion rate was 96.3 versus 98.3 %. Conclusions Almost the same results in fusion were obtained from both the local bone group and the autologous iliac bone group. Fusion progression was almost the same. Complications at donor sites were seen in 19 % of the cases. From the above results, it was concluded that local bone graft is as beneficial as autologous iliac bone graft for PLIF at a single level.

The distal end of a fusion for thoracic hyperkyphosis should include the SSV. Levels that include the first lordotic vertebra but not the SSV are not always appropriate to prevent postoperative distal junctional kyphosis.