Ultrasonic Bone Scalpel versus Conventional Methods for Osteotomy in Posterior Surgery for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Review and Meta-Analysis

Posterior methods for cervical myelopathy include laminoplasty and laminectomy with/without fusion. A more recent innovation in these treatments is the use of an ultrasonic bone shaver for osteotomy. In this study, we examined the perioperative results after laminectomy/laminoplasty between conventional methods (rongeur/high-speed drill) vs. piezosurgery-based instruments. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed and the search was performed on four databases (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar). Seven comparative studies were chosen after thorough screening by the authors and a meta-analysis was performed between piezosurgery and conventional technique to ascertain intraoperative and postoperative results after laminectomy/laminoplasty. The analysis includes four retrospective cohort studies and three randomized controlled trials published between 2015 and 2022. The mean age ranged from 55.5 to 64.2 years. Blood loss was significantly reduced in the piezosurgery group, other findings were not significant. On subgroup analysis, laminoplasty dramatically reduced blood loss and the rate of iatrogenic dural rips in the piezosurgery group. The use of ultrasonic bone shaver for osteotomy in cervical spondylotic myelopathy is related to significantly decreased blood loss and no significant increase in postoperative drainage, operative time, complication rate, and functional outcomes as compared to traditional techniques. We noticed significantly reduced blood and rate of dural tears in the laminoplasty subgroup with the use of ultrasonic bone shaver, which was not mirrored in the laminectomy subgroup. Careful intraoperative handling of the instrument can help prevent iatrogenic dural tears and nerve damage.