Symptomatic epidural haematoma after cervical laminoplasty: a report of three cases

A New Grading of Epidural Hematoma or Scar Formation after Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery: Evaluation of Perioperative Related Factors, Distributions, and Clinical Outcomes after Surgery

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes using a new grading of postoperative epidural hematoma (EH) or epidural scar formation after posterior cervical spine surgery.

Methods

Postoperative EH or epidural scar formation after cervical laminoplasty (LP) or posterior decompression and fusion (PDF) were graded into Grades 1-5 by magnetic resonance imaging at 24 hours, 2 weeks, 6 months, and one year after surgery. The patients were divided into the Mild group (Grades 1-3) and the Severe group (Grades 4, 5). Perioperative factors were compared between the two groups at 24 hours after surgery. Distribution of EH or scar formation was investigated according to two surgeries. The recovery rate of Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and the improvements of neck disability index (NDI) were compared between the two groups at one year postoperatively.

Results

Of the postoperative factors, posterior shift of the cervical spinal cord at C4 and C7 significantly differed between the two groups. Patients in the Severe group at 24 hours after surgery (17%) increased to 41% at 2 weeks and subsequently decreased to 16% at 6 months after LP. After PDF, 3% in the Severe group at 24 hours after surgery increased to 15% at 2 weeks and then decreased to 3% at 6 months postoperatively. Only one (3%) patient remained in the Severe group at 1 year after PDF. The recovery rate of JOA score (47.5%) of the patients in the Mild group showed trend larger than that of the Severe group (34.7%) after LP. Preoperative NDI (15.6 points) significantly improved postoperatively to 12.1 points in only the Mild group after LP.

Conclusions

The patterns of distribution of EH or scar formation did not differ between the two surgical methods. The severity of postoperative scar formation related to surgical outcomes after LP.

Cervical Laminectomy with Lateral Mass Screw Fixation in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Neurological and Sagittal Alignment Outcome: Do We Need Lateral Mass Screws at each Segment?

BACKGROUND

Anterior cervical decompression and fusion is the standard procedure used for treating patients with cervical myelopathy. However, these procedures are associated with complications such as pseudarthrosis, construct failure, and neurological complications. Posterior cervical laminectomy and instrumentation is an alternative procedure to treat multilevel cervical myelopathy. In this study, we raised questions whether instrumentation is required at all levels and whether stabilizing the spine in neutral or lordotic contour with indirect decompression leads to neurological improvement with radiological evidence of anterior decompression. The results of posterior cervical laminectomy and instrumentation with lateral mass screw in terms of radiological and functional outcome in patients with multilevel cervical myelopathy are prospectively evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this prospective study conducted between June 2006 and December 2015, we have evaluated 112 patients with multilevel cervical myelopathy who underwent multilevel cervical laminectomy and instrumentation with lateral mass screw. All patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with Nurick's grading and Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scale for neurological function. Cooper scale and British Medical Research Council grading system for motor function. Curvature index was used to measure the alignment of cervical spine preoperatively and postoperatively. Alignment of the cervical spine was done preoperatively and postoperatively by calculating the curvature index. Axial MRI was used to calculate the severity of compression preoperatively which was calculated as per Singh's criteria and postoperatively to assess the adequacy of decompression at the operated level.

RESULTS

In our study, there were 112 patients including 99 males and 13 females, with mean age of 59.53 years. The mean duration of followup of patients was 33.24 months. In total, cervical laminectomy was performed at 342 levels in 112 patients with an average of 3.05 laminectomies, and in total, 112 lateral mass screws were inserted. On postoperative followup, the mJOA and Nurick's grading showed improvement in all cases as compared to preoperative findings. The mean mJOA improved significantly from 8.56 preoperatively to 13.57 postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean Nurick's grading also improved significantly from 2.59 preoperatively to 0.66 postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean Cooper scale also showed significant improvement in both upper and lower limbs postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean preoperative Cooper scale was 1.75 and postoperative was 0.31 for upper limbs, and the mean Cooper scale was 2.14 preoperatively and 0.56 postoperatively for lower limbs. X-rays done on routine followups showed good alignment of the cervical spine with maintenance of curvature index in all patients. The mean grade of compression as seen on preoperative MRI was 2.46 which reduced significantly postoperatively to 0.16 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The multilevel cervical laminectomy and instrumentation with lateral mass screw for multilevel cervical myelopathy is a safe technique that provides decompression of the spinal cord, prevents the development of kyphotic spinal deformity and posterior tension band of the spinal cord as associated with laminoplasty or uninstrumented laminectomy.