C5 Palsy After Cervical Spine Surgery: A Multicenter Retrospective Review of 59 Cases.

TitleC5 Palsy After Cervical Spine Surgery: A Multicenter Retrospective Review of 59 Cases.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsThompson SE, Smith ZA, Hsu WK, Nassr A, Mroz TE, Fish DE, Wang JC, Fehlings MG, Tannoury CA, Tannoury T, P Tortolani J, Traynelis VC, Gokaslan Z, Hilibrand AS, Isaacs RE, Mummaneni PV, Chou D, Qureshi SA, Cho SK, Baird EO, Sasso RC, Arnold PM, Buser Z, Bydon M, Clarke MJ, De Giacomo AF, Derakhshan A, Jobse B, Lord EL, Lubelski D, Massicotte EM, Steinmetz MP, Smith GA, Pace J, Corriveau M, Lee S, Cha PI, Chatterjee D, Gee EL, Mayer EN, McBride OJ, Roe AK, Yanez MY, D Stroh A, Than KD, K Riew D
JournalGlobal Spine J
Volume7
Issue1 Suppl
Pagination64S-70S
Date Published2017 Apr
ISSN2192-5682
Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter, retrospective review of C5 palsy after cervical spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative C5 palsy is a known complication of cervical decompressive spinal surgery. The goal of this study was to review the incidence, patient characteristics, and outcome of C5 palsy in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery.

METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective review of 13 946 patients across 21 centers who received cervical spine surgery (levels C2 to C7) between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011, inclusive. values were calculated using 2-sample test for continuous variables and χ tests or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables.

RESULTS: Of the 13 946 cases reviewed, 59 patients experienced a postoperative C5 palsy. The incidence rate across the 21 sites ranged from 0% to 2.5%. At most recent follow-up, 32 patients reported complete resolution of symptoms (54.2%), 15 had symptoms resolve with residual effects (25.4%), 10 patients did not recover (17.0%), and 2 were lost to follow-up (3.4%).

CONCLUSION: C5 palsy occurred in all surgical approaches and across a variety of diagnoses. The majority of patients had full recovery or recovery with residual effects. This study represents the largest series of North American patients reviewed to date.

DOI10.1177/2192568216688189
Alternate JournalGlobal Spine J
PubMed ID28451494
PubMed Central IDPMC5400195