Comparative effectiveness and functional outcome of C3 & C7 dome-hybrid open-door laminoplasty with traditional unilateral open-door laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Objective The C3 & C7 dome-hybrid open-door laminoplasty was proven to be an effective treatment for multi-levels cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). However, its superiority over traditional unilateral open-door laminoplasty (UOLP) remains questionable, and no studies have compared the efficacy of this technique with traditional UOLP. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of C3 & C7 dome-hybrid open-door laminoplasty with traditional UOLP in treating multi-levels CSM. Methods A retrospective study of multi-levels CSM with laminoplasty was performed, including 35 cases of traditional UOLP and 27 cases of C3 & C7 dome-hybrid open-door laminoplasty. Radiographic evaluation parameters and clinical outcomes were recorded to evaluate the surgical effectiveness. Results There was no significant difference in demographic baseline parameters. At the final follow-up, the C2–C7 Cobb angle of the modified group was significantly greater than that of the traditional group ( p = 0.026). Meanwhile, the C2–C7 SVA of the modified group was significantly smaller than that of the traditional group ( p = 0.009). Clinical outcomes such as VAS, NDI, and SF-12 scores, improved significantly in the modified group compared to the traditional group, while the JOA scores had no significant difference in both groups. There was no significant difference in the overall rate of complications between the two groups. Conclusion Both techniques have satisfactory outcomes in treating multi-levels CSM. Comparing with traditional UOLP, C3 & C7 dome-hybrid open-door laminoplasty has a greater superiority in reducing postoperative neck pain and maintaining the cervical sagittal alignment. It is proven to be a feasible management for patients with multi-levels CSM.