COMPAIRING CLINICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL OUTCOME OF LAMINECTOMY VS LAMINOPLASTY FOR CERVICAL SPONDYLOTIC MYELOPATHY: AN INSTITUTIONAL STUDY.

Introduction & Background: Laminectomy has been a traditional approach in the operative management of patients suffering from cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Laminoplasty is an attractive alternative of laminectomy. Objective: Majority of the previous comparative studies between laminoplasty and laminectomy done in a patient suffering from cervical spondylotic myelopathy did not show any signicant difference in neurological outcome. Purpose of this study is to compare the clinical outcome and radiological results following the operation in a similar group of patient at a 12 months of follow-up. Study Design: Single centered prospective randomized blind control trial. Materials & Methods: A consecutive series of twenty six patients who underwent laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy has been compared with a similar group of twenty ve matched patients who underwent laminectomy. They were similar in age, gender and ethnicity. Results: Modied Nurick scale improved from pre-operative average of 2.51 to 1.44 in the laminoplasty group and from pre-operative average of 2.67 to 2.11 in the laminectomy group. Pain improved in 39% and 8% in laminoplasty and laminectomy group respectively. There was some loss of range of movement in laminoplasty group, although the radiological effectiveness of decompression was greater in laminoplasty group. Conclusion: Although both laminoplasty and laminectomy are effective at improving the clinical disease severity and quality of life, radiological results are more favourable in laminoplasty group. We therefore conclude that laminoplasty is an effective alternative to laminectomy in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy or radiculopathy.