BACKGROUND Up to date, surgical outcome of multilevel thoracic ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL) with high canal occupation ratio is less satisfactory. OBJECTIVE To explore the result of thoracic… Click to show full abstract
BACKGROUND Up to date, surgical outcome of multilevel thoracic ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL) with high canal occupation ratio is less satisfactory. OBJECTIVE To explore the result of thoracic column antedisplacement and fusion (TCAF) in treatment of multilevel T-OPLL with high canal occupation ratio. METHODS A total of 5 patients who underwent TCAF procedure for T-OPLL were retrospectively reviewed. Parameters including extent of OPLL, thickness of the maximal OPLL (max-OPLL), maximal canal occupying ratio (max-COR) of OPLL, effective canal diameter (ECD) at the max-OPLL level, antedisplacement distance of thoracic columns, ASIA grades, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores, and complications were collected and analyzed at preoperation and the last follow-up. RESULTS All patients (5 F, mean age 61.0 yr, mean follow-up 18.0 months) underwent TCAF successfully and no spinal cord injury or cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred. The mean extent of OPLL was 2.8 vertebral bodies. The mean preoperative thickness of the max-OPLL was 5.9 mm. The average antedisplacement distance of thoracic columns was 5.6 mm. The mean ECD was improved from 6.5 mm to 10.9 mm, and the max-COR was improved from 50.7% to 7.1% at last follow-up. Two patients showed improvement in ASIA grades and JOA scores were significantly improved from 5.6 points to 10.4 points at final follow-up. The overall therapeutic results of 1 patient were classified into good and 4 into fair at last follow-up. CONCLUSION TCAF may be a safe and effective procedure in treatment of multilevel T-OPLL with high canal occupation ratio.
               
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