Abstract
Post-operative long-term results of the cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament were studied. Fifty-six cases consisting of 41 males and 15 females were discussed. Their age ranged from 38 to 73 years (average; 54.6 years old) at the time of operation. Their follow-up periods were more than one year and up to 15 years (average; 5 years and 6 months).
Their overall results were satisfactory: that is, excellent and good results were obtained in 73% of the cases at the time of discharge, and in 70% at the time of follow-up study. As for the transition of the results from the time of discharge to those of follow-up, the results were better in 39%, unchanged in 29% and worsened in 32%. However, the degree of changes in symptoms and signs were not significant, indicating that the results were stable after surgery.
The episode of trauma (mostly frequent minor trauma) and duration of myelopathy significantly effected on the final results, and the pre-operative clinical grade of the neurological impairment and age at the time of surgery were the next.
