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Outcome of late surgical treatment in patients with incomplete paraplegia due to spinal degenerative diseases.

Kasai Y, Shi D, Sugimoto T, Takegami K, Uchida A

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Mie prefecture, Japan.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of late surgical intervention in patients with incomplete paraplegia due to spinal degenerative diseases. SETTING: Three men and four women with cervical or thoracic spinal degenerative diseases, who preoperatively were unable to walk for more than 6 months in Mie prefecture, Japan. METHODS: Review of clinical records and questionnaire survey regarding the walking ability of patients 2 years after surgery. RESULTS: All seven patients were unable to walk postoperatively. CONCLUSION: A late surgical intervention may not lead to functional recovery in patients with spinal degenerative disease who were unable to walk for at least 6 months.

Published 3 March 2005 in Spinal Cord, 43(3): 171-4.
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