Circumferential decompression via the posterior approach for the surgical treatment of mul

Circumferential decompression via the posterior approach for the surgical treatment of multilevel thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments: a single institution comparative study

Liu Xiao;Zhu Bin;Liu Xiaoguang;Liu Zhongjun;Dang Gengting

【期刊名称】《中华医学杂志（英文版）》 【年(卷),期】2014(127)019

【摘要】Background The treatment strategies for multilevel thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments (T-OPLL) were rarely reported.The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes and complications of circumferential decompression for multilevel T-OPLL and compare two different methods in the management of the OPLL (resection or floating).Methods Data of sequentially treated patients who received surgical treatment for thoracic spinal stenosis caused by multilevel T-OPLL from January 2005 to February 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.Based on the surgical approaches applied,the patients were divided into two groups.Group A consisted the patients who received posterior decompression and group B consisted the patients who received circumferential decompression via the posterior approach.Group B was further divided into two subgroups:subgroup 1 (the resection group) where the OPLL was completely resected and subgroup 2 (the floating group) where the OPLL was floated.Results A