Adjacent Nonbridged Ossification Near the Fixation Poses a Risk of Postoperative Progression of Ossification After Posterior Decompression and Fusion for Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Introduction: Postoperative progression of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) has been noted after posterior decompression surgery that does not involve direct resection of OPLL. It appeared that posterior decompression and fusion (PDF) may be more effective in preventing OPLL progression than posterior decompression alone; however, the connection between progression and the extent of fixation remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the ideal fixation range in PDF concerning the progression of OPLL after surgery. We also examined the OPLL progression characteristics post-PDF and the correlation between progression and fixation range.