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Clinical features and surgical outcomes of cervical spondylotic myelopathy in patients aged 80 years or older: a multi-center retrospective study

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Abstract

With the aging of the population in developed countries, spine surgeons have recently been more likely to encounter elderly patients in need of treatment. This study investigated whether decompression surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) in elderly patients aged 80 years or older would likely be a reasonable treatment. We retrospectively reviewed 605 consecutive patients with cervical myelopathy who underwent decompression surgery between 2004 and 2008. Patients with other conditions that could affect functional status or compression factors other than spondylosis were excluded from this study. Of the remaining 189 patients, 161 with CSM whose condition could be evaluated 6 months after surgery were analyzed. The patients were divided into two age groups: 80 years or older (Group A, 37 patients) and younger than 80 years of age (Group B, 124 patients). We evaluated the differences in symptom duration, clinical data, involved levels, surgical outcome, comorbidities, and postoperative complications between the two groups. The symptom duration was significantly shorter in Group A. The average JOA scores preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively were significantly lower in Group A; however, there was no significant difference in the recovery ratio. There were no significant differences in the percentages of patients with comorbidities or those with postoperative complications. Elderly patients aged 80 years or older regained approximately 40% of their function postoperatively, and the incidence of postoperative complication was similar to that in younger patients. Since this age group shows a rapid deterioration after onset, prompt decompression surgery is required.

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Acknowledgments

This work was presented in part at the 39th annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research, Kochi, Japan, 22–24 April 2010 and the 26th annual meeting of the Cervical Spine Research Society European Section, Corfu Island, Greece, 26–29 May 2010. No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1 Nishi-machi, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan

    Hideki Nagashima, Toshiyuki Dokai, Yoshiro Nanjo, Atsushi Tanida & Ryota Teshima

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization, Sanin Rosai Hospital, 1-8-1 Kaikeshinden, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8605, Japan

    Hirokazu Hashiguchi & Yuji Katae

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Misasaonsen Hospital, 690 Yamada, Misasa-cho, Tottori, 682-0197, Japan

    Hiroyuki Ishii & Yasuo Morio

  4. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Masuda Red Cross Hospital, 103-1 Otoyoshi-cho, Masuda, Shimane, 698-8501, Japan

    Yasuhiro Kameyama

  5. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tottori Municipal Hospital, 1-1 Matoba, Tottori, Tottori, 680-8501, Japan

    Tsugutake Morishita

  6. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Masuda Red Hospital, 730 Ezu, Tottori, Tottori, 680-0901, Japan

    Masaaki Murata

  7. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tottori Red Cross Hospital, 117 Shotoku-cho, Tottori, Tottori, 680-8517, Japan

    Toshiaki Takahashi & Koji Yamane

  8. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Matsue City Hospital, 32-1 Noshiro-cho, Matsue, Shimane, 690-8509, Japan

    Shinji Tanishima

Authors
  1. Hideki Nagashima
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  2. Toshiyuki Dokai
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  3. Hirokazu Hashiguchi
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  4. Hiroyuki Ishii
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  5. Yasuhiro Kameyama
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  6. Yuji Katae
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  7. Yasuo Morio
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  8. Tsugutake Morishita
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  9. Masaaki Murata
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  10. Yoshiro Nanjo
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  11. Toshiaki Takahashi
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  12. Atsushi Tanida
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  13. Shinji Tanishima
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  14. Koji Yamane
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  15. Ryota Teshima
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hideki Nagashima.

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Nagashima, H., Dokai, T., Hashiguchi, H. et al. Clinical features and surgical outcomes of cervical spondylotic myelopathy in patients aged 80 years or older: a multi-center retrospective study. Eur Spine J 20, 240–246 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-010-1672-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-010-1672-7

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