What is OPLL of the cervical spine?

Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL) is a condition where the ligament (band of fibres) that runs along the back of the bone (vertebral body) and disc literally hardens into bone. OPLL usually affects the cervical spine (i.e. neck).

What does OPLL mean?

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, also referred to as OPLL, is a spinal condition where the posterior longitudinal ligament becomes calcified and less flexible.

What is the cause of OPLL?

OPLL is a multifactorial condition caused by ectopic hyperostosis and calcification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Familial inheritance and genetic factors have been implicated in the etiology of OPLL. The cervical spine is most commonly affected followed by the thoracic spine.

What is the most common cause of cervical myelopathy?

The most common cause of myelopathy is when the spinal cord is compressed, or squeezed. This compression disrupts normal nerve transmission. Arthritis of the spine, or spondylosis is the most common reason the spinal cord is compressed. Spondylosis refers to degenerative, or age-related, changes in the spine.

How serious is OPLL?

Mild symptoms may include mild pain, tingling, and/or numbness in the hands. OPLL can also cause dysesthesia, an unpleasant sensation that accompanies touch. Sometimes an unpleasant sensation may be present without any touch. As OPLL progresses, symptoms typically become more severe.

How is OPLL treated?

OPLL can be treated via an anterior (ie, corpectomy and fusion) or posterior (ie, laminectomy and fusion or laminoplasty) approach, or both. The optimal approach is dictated by the classification and extent of OPLL, cervical spine sagittal alignment, severity of stenosis, and history of previous surgery.

Is OPLL serious?

Spinal ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a serious disorder that causes vertebral ligament calcification and gradual growth, resulting in spinal stenosis and, in severe cases, nerve paralysis due to spinal cord compression.

What are the symptoms of OPLL?

OPLL typically begins with no or mild symptoms. Mild symptoms may include mild pain, tingling, and/or numbness in the hands. OPLL can also cause dysesthesia, an unpleasant sensation that accompanies touch. Sometimes an unpleasant sensation may be present without any touch.

Is OPLL life threatening?

Abstract. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a rare but potentially devastating cause of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Is cervical myelopathy serious?

Cervical myelopathy is a serious condition affecting the cervical spine, and if left untreated it can lead to significant and permanent nerve damage including paralysis and death. In most cases, this is an urgent surgical condition. Myelopathy describes any neurologic symptoms related to dysfunction of the spinal cord.

What is the best treatment for cervical myelopathy?

MRI scans are the preferred diagnostic method for cervical myelopathy, but other methods can also be used to help rule out other conditions. Cervical myelopathy is best treated with spine decompression surgery.

Can OPLL be cured?

Minimally symptomatic patients can be treated nonsurgically, but patients with myelopathy or severe stenosis are best treated with surgical decompression. OPLL can be treated via an anterior (ie, corpectomy and fusion) or posterior (ie, laminectomy and fusion or laminoplasty) approach, or both.

Can OPLL cause paralysis?

Abstract. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) can cause severe and irreversible paralysis in not only the cervical spine but also the thoracolumbar spine.

How long can you live with cervical myelopathy?

Conclusion: The patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty caused by compression myelopathy due to CS and OPLL had a long life expectancy, averaging more than 13 years. Life expectancy did not differ between patients with CS and patients with OPLL.

Can you fully recover from cervical myelopathy?

Surgical decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy produced neurological recovery in 71% of patients. The neurological recovery in terms of JOA scores improved after surgical decompression, reached statistical significance at 3 months and reached a plateau at 6 months.