Abstract:

Objective　To evaluate clinical efficacy of mini titanium plate fixation versus anchor fixation in unilateral open-door laminoplasty for treatment of multilevel cervical myelopathy (MCM).　Methods　A retrospective study of fifty-five patients with MCM who had undergone unilateral open-door laminoplasty was performed. Twenty-six patients underwent surgery with mini titanium plate fixation （A group）and twenty-nine patients with anchor fixation(B group) respectively. Clinical results were assessed by comparing the following parameters between patients who were in the two groups: Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and JOA recovery rate, and image results were measured by Ishihara's curvature index, and area of the narrowest spinal canal and spinal cord in MRI.　Results　Fifty patients were followed up from 6 to forty-two months with an average of (27.1±9.9) months. No statistically significant differences were identified in follow-up JOA score and JOA recovery rate（P>0.05）. A group had larger difference between the pre- and postoperative Ishihara's curvature index, area of the narrowest spinal canal and spinal cord（P<0.05）.　Conclusions　Satisfactory recovery of neurological function can be achieved and maintained by the two fixations，however, A group had better image results than B group.

Key words: Cervical myelopathy, Laminoplasty, Unilateral open door, Mini titanium plate, Anchor fixation