Combined laminoplasty and posterolateral fusion for spinal canal surgery in children and adolescents.

Spinal deformities, especially kyphosis and instability, after laminectomy for tumors and other diseases, are major clinical problems. Since 1981, combined laminoplasty and posterolateral fusion for the prevention of postlaminectomy spinal deformities was performed on eight male and two female patients aged two to 26 years (average, 13.9 years). The follow-up period was from six months to seven years and three months (average, three years and five months). Two patients died six and ten months postoperatively because of brain metastases (astrocytoma) and lung metastases (neuroblastoma), respectively. Good alignment with no instability of the cervical or thoracic spine was obtained for all patients, including the two who died. Laminoplasty combined with posterolateral fusion was found to be very effective in preventing the development of spinal deformities after spinal canal surgery for spinal cord tumors or other diseases in children and adolescents.