Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33273330›Full record

ArticleChinese medical journal2020

Comparison of the anterior and posterior approach in treating four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Ji-Liang Zhai, Shi-Gong Guo, Li Nie, Jian-Hua Hu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chinese medical journal, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Comparing two surgical approaches for treating multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy: A meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2023
    Pooled it
  2. Anterior versus posterior decompression and fusion for multilevel cervical myelopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Ji-Liang ZhaiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Shi-Gong GuoDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital of Wales Cardiff, UK.
Li NieDepartment of Research and Education, Beijing Centers of Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 102206, China.
Jian-Hua HuDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNPeking Union Medical College Hospital · CNUniversity Hospital of Wales · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe optimal surgical approach for four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes and complications between the anterior and posterior approaches for four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

methodsA total of 19 patients underwent anterior decompression and fusion and 25 patients underwent posterior laminoplasty and instrumentation in this study. Perioperative information, intraoperative blood loss, clinical and radiological outcomes, and complications were recorded. Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, 36-item short form survey (SF-36) score and cervical alignment were assessed.

resultsThere were no significant differences in JOA scores between the anterior and posterior group preoperatively (11.6 ± 1.6 vs. 12.1 ± 1.5), immediately postoperatively (14.4 ± 1.1 vs. 13.8 ± 1.3), or at the last follow-up (14.6 ± 1.0 vs. 14.2 ± 1.1) (P > 0.05). The JOA scores significantly improved immediately postoperatively and at the last follow-up in both groups compared with their preoperative values. The recovery rate was significantly higher in the anterior group both immediately postoperatively and at the last follow-up. The SF-36 score was significantly higher in the anterior group at the last follow-up compared with the preoperative value (69.4 vs. 61.7). Imaging revealed that there was no significant difference in the Cobb angle at C2-C7 between the two groups preoperatively (-2.0° ± 7.3° vs. -1.4° ± 7.5°). The Cobb angle significantly improved immediately postoperatively (12.3° ± 4.2° vs. 9.2° ± 3.6°) and at the last follow-up (12.4° ± 3.5° vs. 9.0° ± 2.6°) in both groups compared with their preoperative values (P = 0.00). Three patients had temporary dysphagia in the anterior group and four patients had persistent axial symptoms in the posterior group.

conclusionsBoth the anterior and posterior approaches were effective in treating four-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy in terms of neurological clinical outcomes and radiological features. However, the JOA score recovery rate and SF-36 score in the anterior group were significantly higher. Persistent axial pain could be a major concern when undertaking the posterior approach.

Indexed as

LaminoplastySpinal Cord DiseasesSpinal FusionSpondylosisBlood Loss, SurgicalCervical VertebraeDecompression, SurgicalHumansRetrospective StudiesTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID33273330
PMCPMC10631575
OpenAlexW3093704732

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.