Anterior versus posterior surgical approaches to treat cervical spondylotic myelopathy: outcomes of the prospective multicenter AOSpine North America CSM study in 264 patients.
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2013-12
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Abstract
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A prospective observational multicenter study.Objective
To help solve the debate regarding whether the anterior or posterior surgical approach is optimal for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).Summary of background data
The optimal surgical approach to treat CSM remains debated with varying opinions favoring anterior versus posterior surgical approaches. We present an analysis of a prospective observational multicenter study examining outcomes of surgical treatment for CSM.Methods
A total of 278 subjects from 12 sites in North America received anterior/posterior or combined surgery at the discretion of the surgeon. This study focused on subjects who had either anterior or posterior surgery (n = 264, follow-up rate, 87%). Outcome measures included the modified Japanese Orthopedic Assessment scale, the Nurick scale, the Neck Disability Index, and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey version 2 Physical and Mental Component Scores.Results
One hundred and sixty-nine patients were treated anteriorly and 95 underwent posterior surgery. Anterior surgical cases were younger and had less severe myelopathy as assessed by mJOA and Nurick scores. There were no baseline differences in Neck Disability Index or SF-36 between the anterior and posterior cases. Improvement in the mJOA was significantly lower in the anterior group than posterior group (2.47 vs. 3.62, respectively, P < 0.01), although the groups started at different levels of baseline impairment. The extent of improvement in the Nurick Scale, Neck Disability Index, SF-36 version 2 Physical Component Score, and SF-36 version 2 Mental Component Score did not differ between the groups.Conclusion
Patients with CSM show significant improvements in several health-related outcome measures with either anterior or posterior surgery. Importantly, patients treated with anterior techniques were younger, with less severe impairment and more focal pathology. We demonstrate for the first time that, when patient and disease factors are controlled for, anterior and posterior surgical techniques have equivalent efficacy in the treatment of CSM.Level of evidence
3.Type
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Publication Info
Fehlings, Michael G, Sean Barry, Branko Kopjar, Sangwook Tim Yoon, Paul Arnold, Eric M Massicotte, Alexander Vaccaro, Darrel S Brodke, et al. (2013). Anterior versus posterior surgical approaches to treat cervical spondylotic myelopathy: outcomes of the prospective multicenter AOSpine North America CSM study in 264 patients. Spine, 38(26). pp. 2247–2252. 10.1097/brs.0000000000000047 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/28811.
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Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.
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