C-5 palsy after cervical laminoplasty with instrumented posterior fusion

Object Postoperative C-5 palsy is known as a common complication after cervical laminoplasty. The authors of this article have encountered postoperative C-5 palsy more often when laminoplasty was combined with instrumented posterior spinal fusion than when it was performed alone. The purpose of this clinical study was to examine the incidence of fifth cervical nerve root palsy (C-5 palsy) and surgical results in patients with cervical myelopathy who had undergone laminoplasty with or without instrumented spinal fusion. Methods The authors retrospectively studied patients with cervical myelopathy who had undergone laminoplasty with or without instrumented posterior spinal fusion. Results Clinical data on 58 patients were evaluated and analyzed. Preoperative diagnoses were cervical spondylotic myelopathy or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine. Twenty-four patients with spondylolisthesis or kyphosis underwent laminoplasty combined with posterior spinal fusion using instr...