CHRONIC SPONDYLOGENIC CERVICAL MYELOPATHY - A CRITICAL-EVALUATION OF SURGICAL-TREATMENT AFTER EARLY AND LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

In the past, chronic spondylogenic cervical myelopathy has been though t of being a disease often resistent to neurosurgical therapy. 56 out of 70 patient treated by laminectomy or different ventral fusion proce dures improved immediately following operation. Only 36, however, cont inued to be improved at follow-up 5 to 8 years later, whereas addition al 8 had worsened again, and another 5 meanwhile had died due to myelo pathy. Laminectomy turned out to be the least succesful procedure of t reatment. Nevertheless, early diagnosis, early operation, appropriate and individual surgical procedures, careful re-evaluation at follow-up , and - if needed - an early decision for a second-step operation can impressively improve the prognosis.