• Sonia Elbhrawy, Ashraf Abdou, Hesham ElSaghir, Yasmine A Ashram, and Jaidaa Mekky.
• Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. Electronic address: sonia.elbhrawi@alexmed.edu.eg.
• World Neurosurg. 2021 Jun 1; 150: e279-e286.

ObjectiveTo study pattern and rate of neurological functional recovery after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).MethodsThis prospective study comprised 25 patients with CSM who underwent surgical decompression at our institution. Upper limb, lower limb, and sphincter functions were assessed using the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (mJOA). Assessment was done before the operation and at 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery.ResultsThe mJOA score did not significantly increase at 1 month after surgery (P = 0.051); however, increase in mJOA score was statistically significant at 3 and 1 year after surgery (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Upper limb motor dysfunction improved in 65% of patients, lower limb motor dysfunction improved in 52% of patients, upper limb sensory dysfunction improved in 48% of patients, and sphincter dysfunction improved in 14.2% of patients. There was a significant positive correlation between preoperative and postoperative mJOA score at 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery.ConclusionsMinimal improvement occurred in the first month after CSM surgery to reach a peak at 3 months after surgery and steady improvement up to 1 year after surgery. Upper limbs recovered better and earlier than lower limbs and sphincter function. Preoperative severity of CSM is one of the main predictors of postoperative neurological outcome.Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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