Increased blood flow of spinal cord lesion after decompression improves neurological recovery of degenerative cervical myelopathy: an intraoperative ultrasonography-based prospective cohort study

Surgical decompression is a highly effective therapy for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), but the mechanisms of neurological recovery following decompression remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the spinal cord blood flow status after sufficient decompression by intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and to analyze the correlation between neurological recovery and postdecompressive spinal cord blood perfusion in DCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with multilevel DCM were treated by ultrasound-guided modified French-door laminoplasty using a self-developed rongeur. Neurological function was evaluated using the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively. Spinal cord compression and cervical canal enlargement before and after surgery were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography. The decompression status was evaluated in real time by intraoperative ultrasonography, while the spinal cord blood flow after sufficient decompression was assessed by CEUS. Patients were categorized as favourable (≥50%) or unfavourable (<50%) recovery according to the recovery rate of the mJOA score at 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were included in the study. The mJOA scores were significantly improved in all patients from 11.2±2.1 preoperatively to 15.0±1.1 at 12 months postoperatively, with an average recovery rate of 64.9±16.2%. Computerized tomography and intraoperative ultrasonography confirmed adequate enlargement of the cervical canal and sufficient decompression of the spinal cord, respectively. CEUS revealed that patients with favourable neurological recovery had a greater increased blood flow signal in the compressive spinal cord segment after decompression. CONCLUSIONS: In DCM, intraoperative CEUS can clearly reflect spinal cord blood flow. Patients with increased blood perfusion of the spinal cord lesion immediately after surgical decompression tended to achieve greater neurological recovery.