Cervical Laminoplasty Using Titanium Miniplate

Lee, Sang Won

Abstract

The expansive open-door laminoplasty is an effective, simple and reliable method in decompression of posterior spinal elements, but this technique also has some pitfalls such as progressive narrowing of the opened spinal canal and collapse of the laminae leadin to deterioration of clinical status. To prevent these complications, the author as performed open-door laminoplasty using titanium miniplate in eight patients of multiple cervical canal stenosis with myelopathy and/or myeloradiculopathy. The clinical outcomes were evaluated according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA) score and the postoperative sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal on plain radiography were measured. The clinical outcomes were excellent in 25.5% and good n 50.0% on 3 months after the operation and the average postoperative sagittal diameters of the spinal canal were 18.3mm(43% larger than preoperative diameters) 1 month after the operation and 18.1mm(42% larger than preoperative diameters) 3months after operation. Despite limited cases and short follow-up periods, the open-door laminoplasty using titanium miniplate is thought to be simple, durable and effective technique for maintaining increased sagittal diameter of the spinal canal. The titanium plates are easy to apply, and have advantage of the magnetic resonance imaging compatibility in the postoperative examination.