Relative Safety of Anterior Microsurgical Decompression Versus Laminoplasty for Cervical Myelopathy With a Massive Ossified Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Abstract

Anterior microsurgical decompression for a massive ossified posterior longitudinal ligament, although technically more demanding, seems counterintuitively safer than laminoplasty. For a better understanding of the underlying mechanism for neurologic worsening after laminoplasty, electrophysiologic monitoring of the spinal cord and the roots function seems essential not only during surgery, but also during presurgical positioning of the patient.