Objective: To evaluate the short-term curative effects of ARCH titanium plate fixation combined with expansive single open-door laminoplasty (EOLP) in treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).
Methods: EOLP with ARCH titanium plate as internal fixation material was applied in 32 patients with CSM from January to December 2016. There were 23 males and 9 females with an average age of 64.5 years ranging from 39 to 82 years. The course of disease ranged from 6 to 24 months with an average of 13.1 months. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring method, which included upper and lower limb motor function, limb sensory function and bladder function. The sagittal diameter of the narrowest segment of vertebral canal was measured by imaging data before operation and 6 months after operation, and the improvement rate was calculated to determine the decompression effect.
Results: All the patients were followed up from 6 to 20 months with an average of 12.2 months. Preoperative symptoms of 32 patients were improved to varying degrees, the JOA score increased from 9.78±1.34 before operation to 12.94±1.16 at 6 months after operation, the improvement rate of JOA was(44.09±11.06)% (P<0.01). The spinal canal was significantly enlarged, the sagittal diameter of the narrowest vertebral canal was increased from (8.47±0.60) mm preoperatively to (12.51±0.78) mm 6 months postoperatively, the improvement rate was (48.27±11.81)% (P<0.01). No loosening, displacement, rupture or "re-closure" of the internal fixator was found during the follow-up.
Conclusions: ARCH titanium plate fixation combined with EOLP in the treatment of CSM can significantly reduce the possibility of "re-closure" and other related postoperative complications and the short-term clinical efficacy is satisfactory.
Keywords: ARCH titanium plate; Cervical spondylotic myelopathy; Expansive single open-door laminoplasty.
Copyright© 2019 by the China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Press.