Can Prophylactic Foraminotomy Prevent C5 Palsy

Summary

C5 palsy (C5P) is a well-known, although rare complication of cervical spine decompression surgery. In severe forms, C5P causes debilitating upper extremity weakness involving the deltoids and/or biceps brachii muscles, ultimately diminishing these patients' quality of life. Furthermore, about half of patients with C5P present with sensory deficits and/or intractable pain in addition to the muscle weakness.

Prophylactic bilateral foraminotomy at the C5 level during cervical decompression surgery has been studied recently with the hope that it will minimize the risk of developing a C5 nerve root palsy postoperatively. Although the current literature provides some support for this claim, there are insufficient data establishing this technique as a proven measure to reduce the incidence of C5P. In the present study, we seek to evaluate the effect of bilateral foraminotomy on postoperative C5P incidence rates.

Bilateral foraminotomy has been correlated with a reduced risk of developing C5P following cervical decompression surgery, but an identical foraminotomy procedure has never been applied in a randomized manner to all qualifying patients in a study. Additionally, prophylactic foraminotomy has only been prospectively studied during laminoplasty. In the proposed study, bilateral foraminotomy will be randomized to patients receiving cervical decompression surgery (laminoplasty, laminectomy, fusion). This is a multicenter randomized trial, including the following sites: Cleveland Clinic, Columbia University Medical Center, and University of Southern California Spine Center. Patients undergoing cervical decompression surgery will be consented and enrolled if they meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subsequently, incidence of C5P will be monitored to determine efficacy of prophylactic C5 bilateral foraminotomy during cervical decompression.

Conditions

• Myelopathy, Compressive
• Radiculopathy, Cervical
• C5 Palsy

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Bilateral Cervical Keyhole Foraminotomy

Under microscopic or loop magnification, a high-speed burr is used to perform the foraminotomy. The keyhole foraminotomy begins at the lamina-facet junction, with careful consideration of the amount of facet resection. Typically, only the medial one third is drilled. Then a 1- or 2-mm Kerrison punch can be carefully placed over the nerve root and then used to undercut the facet, ensuring that the spine is not destabilized by the foraminotomy. The amount of facet resection must not exceed 50% in order to preserve spine stability.

PROCEDURE

Cervical Decompression

Cervical decompression for myelopathy, including the following procedures: laminoplasty, laminectomy, discectomy and fusion

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Cleveland Clinic

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Thomas E Mroz, MD · The Cleveland Clinic

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-06-30

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations