ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences 2017 April;61(2):134-9

DOI: 10.23736/S0390-5616.16.03315-4

Copyright © 2015 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Lamifuse: results of a randomized controlled trial comparing laminectomy with and without fusion for cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Ronald H. BARTELS ^{1, 2}, Hans GROENEWOUD ³, Wilco C. PEUL ^{4, 5}, Mark P. ARTS ⁵ ✉

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; ² Department of Neurosurgery, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; ³ Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; ⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; ⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center Haaglanden, Lijnbaan, The Netherlands

BACKGROUND: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is often encountered in daily practice. In this randomized controlled trial, laminectomy without fusion is compared with laminectomy followed by fusion.
METHODS: Patients with clinical signs and symptoms of CSM were included. At regular follow-up moments a Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) Score, a Short Form (36) (SF-36) and upright cervical radiographs to measure the angle between C2 and C7, were obtained.
RESULTS: Nine patients were included in each group (total 18 patients). At the last follow-up, a difference in mJOA or SF-36 could not be established. However, it was clearly shown that a more successful outcome, as measured by mJOA and SF-36, was obtained in patients who had fewer complaints preoperatively.
CONCLUSIONS: A difference in clinical outcome or quality of life between the groups did not exist. It was clearly shown that the outcome of the patients was strongly dependent on the preoperative clinical situation.

KEY WORDS: Spinal cord diseases – Laminectomy - Treatment outcome