To determine characteristics responsible for improvement of low back pain after cervical laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
Methods.
18 men and 10 women aged 38 to 88 (mean, 71) years who had a low back pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 5 or more before cervical laminoplasty were included. In 12 patients the VAS score improved to ≤1 after surgery and remained so at 2 years, but in 16 it remained unimproved. Patient characteristics of the 2 groups were compared.
Results.
Preoperatively 11 of the 12 patients with improved VAS score had continuous low back pain all day, compared to 3 of the 16 who remained unimproved (p<0.01).
Conclusion.
In some patients, low back pain may be improved following cervical laminoplasty.
AdamsKKJacksonCERauchRAHartSFKleinguentherRSBarohnRJ. Cervical myelopathy with false localizing sensory levels. Arch Neurol1996;53:1155–8.
2.
ItoTHommaTUchiyamaS. Sciatica caused by cervical and thoracic spinal cord compression. Spine1999;24:1265–7.
3.
OchiaiHYamakawaYMinatoSNakaharaKNakanoSWakisakaS. Clinical features of the localized girdle sensation of mid-trunk (false localizing sign) appeared in cervical compressive myelopathy patients. J Neurol2002;249:549–53.
4.
Pego-ReigosaRde las MatasTrobajo JEBranasFMartinez-VazquezFCortes-LainoJA. Dorsal sensory level as a false localizing sign in cervical myelopathy [in Spanish]. Rev Neurol1998;27:86–8.
5.
WilkeHJRohlmannFNeidlinger-WilkeCWernerKClaesLKettlerA. Validity and interobserver agreement of a new radiographic grading system for intervertebral disc degeneration: Part I. Lumbar spine. Eur Spine J2006;15:720–30.
