Comparison of spinal instability and postoperative complications between laminoplasty and laminectomy surgery for spinal cord tumors

This study aimed to compare kyphotic changes and postoperative complications between laminectomy and laminoplasty for spinal cord tumors. We retrospectively included 110 patients who underwent spinal cord tumor resection at the Ajou University Medical Center, Korea, between January 1994 and March 2022 to compare the complications and postoperative kyphotic changes between laminectomy and laminoplasty. A total of 59 and 51 patients underwent laminectomy and laminoplasty, respectively. The groups had similar demographic characteristics. Tumor locations were classified as cervical, thoracic, and lumbar lesions and were compared. We measured preoperative and postoperative radiological parameters and identified postoperative complications. In the laminoplasty group, we studied 7, 19, and 25 cases at the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels, respectively. In the laminectomy group, we studied 13, 31, and 15 cases at the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels, respectively. At the cervical level, lordosis from C2 to C7 was 8.66 ± 5.06° before and 15.86 ± 12.54° after surgery and was 10.5 ± 6.82° before and 9.16 ± 6.5° after surgery in the laminoplasty and laminectomy groups, respectively. At the thoracic level, kyphosis from T5 to T12 was 27.89 ± 9.93° before and 23.18 ± 9.10° after surgery and was 29.94 ± 9.56° before and 28.41 ± 12.58° after surgery in the laminoplasty and laminectomy groups, respectively. At the lumbar level, lordosis from L1 to S1 was 40.86 ± 14.12° before and 42.62 ± 10.39° after surgery and was 43.65 ± 8.47° before and 37.44 ± 13.32° after surgery in the laminoplasty and laminectomy groups, respectively. Postoperative complications, such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage, infection, and hematoma, were more frequent in the laminectomy group than in the laminoplasty group. Laminoplasty rather than laminectomy for spinal cord tumor surgery can reduce postoperative complications and prevent kyphosis.