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Baba S, Shiboi R, Yokosuka J, Oshima Y, Takano Y, Iwai H, Inanami H, Koga H. Microendoscopic Posterior Decompression for Treating Thoracic Myelopathy Caused by Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum: Case Series. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 56:medicina56120684. [PMID: 33321989 PMCID: PMC7763969 DOI: 10.3390/medicina56120684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a relatively common cause of thoracic myelopathy. Surgical treatment is recommended for patients with myelopathy. Generally, open posterior decompression, with or without fusion, is selected to treat OLF. We performed minimally invasive posterior decompression using a microendoscope and investigated the efficacy of this approach in treating limited type of thoracic OLF. Materials and Methods: Microendoscopic posterior decompression was performed for 19 patients (15 men and four women) with thoracic OLF with myelopathy aged between 35 to 81 years (mean age, 61.9 years). Neurological examination and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) were used to identify the location and morphology of OLF. The surgery was performed using a midline approach or a unilateral paramedian approach depending on whether the surgeon used a combination of a tubular retractor and endoscope. The numerical rating scale (NRS) and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scores were compared pre- and postoperatively. Perioperative complications and the presence of other spine surgeries before and after thoracic OLF surgery were also investigated. Results: Four midline and 15 unilateral paramedian approaches were performed. The average operative time per level was 99 min, with minor blood loss. Nine patients had a history of cervical or lumbar spine surgery before or after thoracic spine surgery. The mean pre- and postoperative NRS scores were 6.6 and 5.3, respectively. The mean recovery rate as per the mJOA score was 33.1% (mean follow-up period, 17.8 months), the recovery rates were significantly different between patients who underwent thoracic spine surgery alone (50.5%) and patients who underwent additional spine surgeries (13.7%). Regarding adverse events, one patient experienced dural tear, another experienced postoperative hematoma, and one other underwent reoperation for adjacent thoracic stenosis. Conclusion: Microendoscopic posterior decompression was applicable in limited type of thoracic OLF surgery including beak-shaped type and multi vertebral levels. However, whole spine evaluation is important to avoid missing other combined stenoses that may affect outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Baba
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The University of Tokyo, 57-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Spinal Surgery, Japan Community Health Care Organization, Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center, 5-1 Tsukudo-chou, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8643, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-3269-8111; Fax: +81-3-3260-7840
| | - Ryutaro Shiboi
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ohno Chuo Hospital, 3-20-3 Shimokaizuka, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba 272-0821, Japan
| | - Jyunichi Yokosuka
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
| | - Yasushi Oshima
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The University of Tokyo, 57-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuichi Takano
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
| | - Hiroki Iwai
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
| | - Hirohiko Inanami
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
| | - Hisashi Koga
- Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, 8-17-2 Minamikoiwa, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo 133-0056, Japan; (R.S.); (J.Y.); (Y.O.); (Y.T.); (H.I.); (H.I.); (H.K.)
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Iwai H, Inanami H, Koga H. Full-Endoscopic Spine Surgery for the Treatment of Lumbar Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum: Technical Report. World Neurosurg 2020; 142:487-494.e1. [PMID: 32599183 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.06.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a relatively common disease in East Asia. Although surgical decompression using a posterior approach is commonly used to treat OLF, there are several different treatment strategies. The purpose of this study is to clarify the technically important points for the treatment of OLF using full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS). METHODS FESS was performed on 7 patients with lumbar OLF. Patients had a mean age of 62.3 years and single-level involvement. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to classify the OLF. Two different types of spinal endoscope were used for posterior decompression. Interlaminal and translaminal approaches were performed in 6 and 1 patient, respectively. Preoperative and postoperative pain was evaluated using the numeric rating scale score. RESULTS The mean operation time was 84.1 minutes. Unilateral round-type OLF was treated using a 4.1-mm working channel endoscope. The bilateral type was treated using a 6.4-mm working channel endoscope. A dural tear occurred in 1 patient with beak-type OLF, but no symptoms resulting from the tear were observed. The mean preoperative and postoperative numeric rating scale scores were 7.7 and 1.6, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Posterior decompression using FESS can be used to treat patients with lumbar OLF. Unilateral round-type OLF with ipsilateral radiculopathy can be treated using a 4.1-mm working channel endoscope. Bilateral-type OLF with cauda equina symptoms should be treated using a 6.4-mm working channel endoscope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Iwai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Iwai FESS Clinic, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inanami Spine and Joint Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirohiko Inanami
- Department of Neurosurgery, Iwai FESS Clinic, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inanami Spine and Joint Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hisashi Koga
- Department of Neurosurgery, Iwai FESS Clinic, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedics, Iwai Orthopaedic Medical Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inanami Spine and Joint Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
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Feng FB, Sun CG, Chen ZQ. Progress on clinical characteristics and identification of location of thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum. Orthop Surg 2016; 7:87-96. [PMID: 26033987 DOI: 10.1111/os.12165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF) is the most common cause for thoracic spinal stenosis. TOLF is usually complicated by thoracic disc herniation, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament and degenerative spinal diseases such as cervical spondylosis and lumbar spinal stenosis, and the ossification also usually has a discontinuous or continuous multi-segment distribution. The resultant superposition of several symptoms makes the clinical manifestations complex. Currently, the diagnosis of TOLF depends mainly on the patient's symptoms, physical examination and thoracic CT and MRI examinations. Identification of the location of TOLF depends more on the doctor's subjective judgement. Diagnostic problems are related to the specific region and level of surgical decompression: if the extent of decompression is insufficient, the treatment is inadequate, resulting in residual symptoms. Obversely, unnecessary trauma and a various complications will occur if the decompression is too extensive. Hence, the clinical features and process of diagnosis, especially the means of identifying the location, still require further improvement. It is necessary to establish a simple and accurate means of identifying the segment of TOLF that is responsible for the neurologic deficit: a number of spinal surgeons have been working hard on this. This article will provided an overview of the clinical features of TOLF and the related problems of clinical identification of the location of the segment causing the neurological deficit. The relationship between the imaging manifestations and clinical characteristics still need to be explored with the aim of establishing a simple and precise method for determining precisely whether TOLF is related to spinal cord injury or not, thus reducing surgical trauma and achieving an optimal prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-bo Feng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.,Department of Orthopaedics, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chui-guo Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhong-qiang Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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Microendoscopic posterior decompression for the treatment of thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum: a technical report. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2015. [PMID: 26223744 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-015-4158-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a common cause of progressive thoracic myelopathy in East Asia. Good surgical results are expected for patients who already show myelopathy. Surgical decompression using a posterior approach is commonly used to treat OLF. This study investigated the use of microendoscopic posterior decompression for the treatment of thoracic OLF. METHODS Microendoscopic posterior decompression was performed on 9 patients with myelopathy. Patients had a mean age of 59.8 years and single-level involvement, mostly at the T10-11 and T11-12 vertebrae. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to classify the OLF. A tubular retractor and endoscopic system were used for microendoscopic posterior decompression. Midline and unilateral paramedian approaches were performed in 2 and 7 patients, respectively. Intraoperative motor evoked potentials (MEPs) of 7 patients were monitored. Pre- and postoperative neurological status was evaluated using the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score. RESULTS Thoracic OLF for all patients were classed as bilateral type with a round morphology. Improvement of MEPs at least one muscle area was recorded in all patients following posterior decompression. A dural tear in one patient was the only observed complication. The mean recovery rate was 44.9 %, as calculated from mJOA scores at a mean follow-up period of 20 months. CONCLUSIONS Microendoscopic posterior decompression combined with MEP monitoring can be used to treat patients with thoracic OLF. The optimal surgical indication is OLF at a single vertebral level and of a unilateral or bilateral nature, without comma and tram track signs, and a round morphology.
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