Cervical spine changes following laminectomy. Clinico-radiological study.

The authors performed follow-up examinations on 84 patients who had undergone cervical laminectomy in order to relieve the pressure caused by tumors, malformations, leptomeningeal cysts and spondylarthrosis. In an attempt to quantify the post-laminectomy cervical spine changes on plain X-ray films, the authors used an original radiological grading. A clinical evaluation was made and graded either as improved, unchanged and worsened. The authors found significant clinico-radiological correlations and concluded that a neuromuscular imbalance may determine the most severe post-laminectomy cervical spine changes.