Posterior movement and enlargement of the spinal cord after cervical laminoplasty

We performed CT myelography in 38 patients with cervical myelopathy before and after laminoplasty to enlarge the canal. The sagittal and transverse diameters, the cross-sectional area, and the central point of the spinal cord were measured. After cervical laminoplasty, the mean sagittal diameter of the spinal cord at C5 increased by 0.8 mm, but the mean transverse diameter decreased by 0.9 mm. The mean cross-sectional area of the cord increased by 7.4% and that of the dural sac and its contents by 33.8% at C5. The centre of the spinal cord moved a mean 2.8 mm posteriorly at this level. Enlargement of the spinal canal is sufficient to decompress the spinal cord, but posterior movement may be the limiting factor in determining the decompressive effect of laminoplasty.