OSSIFICATION OF THE POSTERIOR LONGITUDINAL LIGAMENT OF THE CERVICAL-SPINE ASIAN INDIANS - A MULTIRACIAL COMPARISON

Ossification of the Posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) has been th ought to be a predominantly Japanese disease with few reports among th e non-orientals and Caucasians. A prospective clinicoradiological stud y of 47 symptomatic Caucasoid Indians is reported. Twenty-seven patien ts presented with myelopathy, twelve with myeloradiculopathy and six w ith radiculopathy. 'Total' configuration of OPLL was the most frequent (70%). The most frequent location was at C3 and C4 levels. The thickn ess of OPLL ranged from 2.5 mm to 11.5 mm. Canal stenosis was most sev ere in patients with 'total' type of OPLL. Ossification of Other spina l ligaments were seen in 50% of the patients. Twenty-one patients unde rwent decompressive laminectomy and twenty of them improved. The diffe rence in the cervical canal diameters and the configuration of OPLL be tween the Japanese and our population (Caucasoid Indians) may be of th erapeutic relevance.