Clinical Factors Influencing the Neurological Recovery of Patients Operated for a Cervical Myelopathy at the Teaching Hospital of Bouake

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical myelopathy is the most common myelopathy among people over 50 of age. Cervicosteoarthritis is the main etiology. The purpose of this work was to identify clinical factors that may influence neurological recovery in patients undergoing surgery for cervical myelopathy in our work setting. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analytical study on patients operated on for cervical myelopathy at the teaching hospital of Bouake. The logistic regression model was used to identify the factors influencing post-operative neurological recovery. Results: 50 patients' records have been enrolled in this study. The mean age of our patients was 53 years with extremes ranging from 25 to 78 years and 39 of our patients (62%) were male. The mean modified pre-operative JOA score was 11.62 versus 12.94 after the surgery. Age, sex, the number of levels operated on and the duration of the evolution of the signs showed no significant link with neurological recovery. Preoperative mild myelopathy (P = 0.0491) and post-operative functional rehabilitation (P = 0.0459) were identified as factors favouring neurological recovery after cervical myelopathy surgery. Conclusion: The good conducts of functional rehabilitation sessions as well as a mild myelopathy were the factors favouring neurological recovery.