Case report: 122° kyphosis secondary to C5-L3 laminectomy and quadriplegia, surgical correction and 30-year follow-up

• Published in: Spinal cord 2011-09, Vol.49 (9), p.1023-1024
• Main Authors: Winter, R B, Akbarnia, B A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/1807/1693; 692/698/1688/1366/1823; 692/699/1670; 692/700/565/545/379; Adult; Anatomy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; case-report; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Follow-Up Studies; Human Physiology; Humans; Kyphosis - diagnostic imaging; Kyphosis - etiology; Kyphosis - surgery; Laminectomy - adverse effects; Laminectomy - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurochemistry; Neurology; Neuropsychology; Neurosciences; Quadriplegia - complications; Radiography; Reoperation - instrumentation; Reoperation - methods; Spinal Fusion - instrumentation; Spinal Fusion - methods; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sc.2011.24

Study design: The study design was a case report with 30-year follow-up. Objectives: In 1980, there were no pedicle screws available, so it was a great challenge to achieve correction and fusion in a patient with no laminae, and who was quadriplegic. Such a case with such a long follow-up has not been previously reported. Methods: This is a single case report with an ultra-long follow-up. The patient underwent an anterior fusion from T3 to L4 via two incisions, and at a second stage, a posterior fusion from T3 to S1 using Luque rods and wires passed through the foramenae. After 2 years he underwent repair of two pseudarthroses with both anterior and posterior procedures. Results: He achieved solid fusion following the pseudarthrosis repair. Although being a C7 quadriplegic all his life, he is totally independent in his activities of daily living, and is fully employed. Conclusion: Correction and fusion can be achieved even in the absence of laminae and pedicle screws.