Published in:
01-12-2015 | Original Article
Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: the prediction of outcome following surgical intervention in 93 patients using T1- and T2-weighted MRI scans
Published in: European Spine Journal | Issue 12/2015
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Introduction
Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) can lead to significant disability through a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from dexterity loss to more profound weakness, incontinence and paralysis.
Aim
To determine the outcome of surgical decompression for CSM and investigate pre-operative predictors of outcome.
Methods
Prospectively collected data on all patients who underwent decompressive surgery for CSM and completed 12-month follow-up were reviewed. Data on age, MRI T1 and T2 signal changes pre-operatively, surgical approach and the Nurick’s Myelopathy Grade (NMG) was analysed pre-operatively and 1 year post-surgery.
Results
Data on 93 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for CSM were reviewed. Median age was 62 (23–94) years and 59 % were male. The median follow-up was 37 (17–88) months. The approach was anterior in 38 (42 %) patients, posterior in 55 (58 %); improvement was not significantly different when the two groups were compared. The number of levels decompressed increased with age (p value <0.0001). The group with a pre-operatively high signal on T1-weighted MRI images [n = 28 (30 %)] was associated with less neurological recovery post-operatively compared to the patients with a normal T1 cord signal. None of the patients deteriorated neurologically post-operatively, while 66 % improved by at least one NMG.
Conclusion
Surgical decompressions for CSM stop the progress of symptoms at 12 months post-surgery and may result in a significant improvement of NMG in two-thirds of the patients. Changes in the T1-weighted MRI images predict worse outcomes following surgery.