Application of Piezosurgery in En Bloc Laminectomy for the Treatment of Multilevel Thoracic Ossification of Ligamentum Flavum

Objective To evaluate safety and effectiveness of the application of piezosurgery in en bloc laminectomy for the treatment of multilevel thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum (MTOLF). Methods Forty-one cases who had MTOLF and underwent en bloc laminectomy from January 2012 to January 2017 were reviewed and divided into Group A (high-speed drill, n  = 23) and Group B (piezosurgery, n  = 18). Comparisons in clinical outcome and perioperative complications were carried out between the 2 groups. Results Mean follow-up period was comparable between Group A (12.6 months) and Group B (11.4 months). Both operation time and intraoperative blood loss in Group A were significantly more than those in Group B ( P P > 0.05). A relationship analysis showed that cases with preoperative tram track sign, tuberous OLF, or larger compression ratio were at greater risk of developing an intraoperative dura defect. Conclusions The application of piezosurgery in en bloc laminectomy is a safe and effective method in the treatment of MTOLF, and it was advantageous for reducing both operation time and intraoperative blood loss compared with the high-speed drill.