Zhenfang Gu, Aili Zhang, Yong Shen, Feng Li, Xianze Sun, Wenyuan Ding


July 2015, Volume 24, Issue 8, pp 1613 - 1620 Original Article Read Full Article 10.1007/s00586-015-3779-3

First Online: 28 January 2015

Objective

To clarify the relationship between the laminoplasty opening size (LOS), the laminoplasty opening angle (LOA) and the increase in sagittal canal diameter (SCD) and to predict the amount of canal enlargement during open-door cervical laminoplasty (ODCL).

Methods

Formula describing the relationship between LOS and LOA, the increase in SCD was deduced. The parameters of pre- and postoperative computed tomography scans of 36 patients who had undergone laminoplasty surgery were measured by picture archiving and communication system (PACS) software, and the amount of canal enlargement of these patients was predicted when the opening size of laminoplasty was 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm according to the formula.

Results

For equivalent LOS, the amount of canal enlargement with each opening size differed throughout the cervical region. When the C3–C7 LOS was 10 mm the SCD increased >4.1 mm, and the canal area increased in C3–C6 >88 mm2, and the canal area increased in C7 > 80 mm2. When the C3–C7 LOS was 12 mm, the SCD increased >5.2 mm, and the canal area increased in C3–C6 >104 mm2, and the canal area increased in C7 > 94 mm2.

Conclusion

Formula accurately showed the relationship between the LOS and the increase in SCD achieved by ODCL. The amount of canal enlargement following ODCL could be predicted by the formula. LOS of 10–12 mm at C3–C7 might be optimal during ODCL.


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