Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes of Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: a Quality Improvement Study

This study aimed to determine the outcome of surgical treatments in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). During one - year follow - up period, we evaluated patient - reported functional and quality of life (QOL) measures .

I n a retrospective single - center study, we collected data of patients with DCM who underwent cervical fusion surgeries i n Imam Khomeini Hospital , Tehran, Iran, from 2011 to 2015. Patients underwent single or multi - level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), or posterior laminectomy and fusion. We utilized patient - reported assessments including Short Form 36 (SF - 36), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Inde x (NDI), and Nurick grade. Follow - up was performed at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months post - operatively to assess the outcome of surgery .

Ninety patients (56 men, 34 women) with a mean age of 54.1 (27 - 87) years were included. Compariso n of pre - and post - operative scores showed significant improvement in SF - 36 parameters, VAS, NDI, and Nurick grade (P < 0.001). Also, women’s VAS scores improved more than men's VAS scores during the follow - up period (P < 0.050). Age and type of surgery di d not significantly affect the SF - 36 parameters, VAS, NDI, and Nurick grade (P > 0.05) .

Cervical surgeries in patients with different severity of DCM can improve different aspects of QOL during one - year after surgery .