About This Blog:
- According to researchers from Toronto Western Hospital, there is a way surgeons can predict the risk of complication after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CMS).
- Researchers have developed a simple model that evaluates the presence of serious medical conditions and a patient’s risk of post-surgical complications.
- In this blog, Dr. Mark Giovanini shares results from the study and explains how this model will help spine surgeons.
Dr. Michael G. Fehlings of Toronto Western Hospital and his colleagues developed a simple model to help spine surgeons predict a patient’s risk of post-operative complications. After analyzing data collected on 479 patients who underwent surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), Dr. Fehlings and his colleagues discovered clinical and surgical factors as well as medical conditions such as ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), increased the risk of complications. Patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease were also considered at risk.
This model could help surgeons prevent complications before performing surgery, or at the very least, help surgeons better understand how to best deal with these complications after surgery. Of those involved in the study, 89 surgery-related complications were identified in 78 patients. The patients with most risk were either diagnosed with OPLL or diabetes.
Dr. Mark Giovanini wants patients to understand that while surgery for this condition is considered safe and effective, there is a risk of complication, like with any surgery. According to Dr. Fehlings, complications from this surgery occur in about 11 to 38 percent of patients. CSM is complex condition that causes the following symptoms:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Numbness and weakness in the arms and legs
These symptoms are the result of pressure being applied to the spinal cord and surrounding nerve roots. Patients who experience this pain for a long period of time usually require surgery because these symptoms will not subside on their own. If you’re unsure about surgery, interventional pain care options may help reduce your pain symptoms. Still, surgery is one of the only ways to ensure long-term pain relief. For more on this study, please visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160621155008.htm.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.