[Study of factors related to the surgical prognosis of cervical compression myelopathy].

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not surgical results of cervical compression myelopathy can be predicted morphometrically using computed tomographic myelography (CTM). Results; Through an autopsy study, the area and compression ratio in cross-section of the spinal cord were in good correlation with severity of the pathological changes. Morphometric study of fifty patients with this condition showed that the spinal cord area at the maximum compression segment in CTM was significantly correlated with surgical results. In most patients with less than 40 mm2 of the spinal cord area, postoperative score and recovery rate (Hirabayashi) were poor. Thus, 40 mm2 is the critical point of viability of the spinal cord. Several factors such as chronicity of the disease, age at surgery and multiplicity of involvement have been validated as predictive factors; however, the spinal cord area on CTM image proved to be the most comprehensive parameter for the prediction of surgical results through an analysis of covariance.