Symptomatic Myelopathy Caused by Ossification of the Yellow Ligament

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to describe the clinical presentation, surgical outcome in patients with symptomatic myelopathy caused by ossification of the yellow ligament (OYL). METHODS: The authors reviewed consequent 12 patients in whom posterior decompressive laminectomies were performed for OYL from 1999 to 2005. Diagnostic imagings including simple radiographs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance images were performed in each case. The patients were reviewed to evaluate the clinical presentation, surgical outcome and complications of the operation. RESULTS: In all patients, OYL was located in the lower thoracic region and all patients presented with numbness on both limbs and pain. Among them, 5 patients presented with gait disturbance due to paraparesis and two patients had sphincter dysfunction. Decompressive laminectomy through a posterior approach using microscope resulted in improvement of symptoms in all patients, but, recovery was incomplete in a half of the patients. The mean postoperative Japanese orthopaedics association (JOA) score was 7.9 when compared with 4.9 in preoperative assessment and the mean recovery rate was 65%. Dural tear was noticed in four patients, so dural repair was performed, but there were no neurological deficits related to neural injury. CONCLUSION: OYL is an uncommon cause of myelopathy but it can lead to debilitating thoracic myelopathy. Careful decompressive laminectomy can achieve favorable results.