Neurological improvement associated with late decompression of the thoracolumbar spinal cord. Neurosurgery 1984 Mar;14(3):302-7
Date
03/01/1984Pubmed ID
6709155DOI
10.1227/00006123-198403000-00007Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0021352311 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 61 CitationsAbstract
We reviewed the cases of 20 patients admitted to our institution with thoracolumbar spinal cord injury who had previously undergone laminectomy and/or spinal instrumentation. Thirteen patients had a mass in the spinal canal, and 7 had kyphotic deformities. The lateral extracavitary approach to the spine and posterior stabilization when indicated were done in each. Seventeen patients obtained substantial neurological improvement. All 7 patients with kyphosis regained the ability to walk, as did all but 3 of the nonambulatory patients with a mass in the spinal canal. Morbidity was limited to pneumothorax and 1 case of late kyphosis associated with premature removal of the spinal fixation devices. Elective anterior approaches for reconstruction of the spinal canal with appropriate stabilization afford the best opportunity for neurological improvement in cases of thoracolumbar spinal cord injury.
Author List
Maiman DJ, Larson SJ, Benzel ECMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Fracture FixationFractures, Bone
Humans
Kyphosis
Laminectomy
Spinal Cord Compression
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal Injuries