Clinical results after cervical laminoplasty: differences due to the duration of wearing a cervical collar.

Objective: This investigation assessed the relationship between the duration of wearing a cervical collar and clinical results in patients undergoing laminoplasty.
Methods: Twenty-five patients with cervical myelopathy who underwent laminoplasty and wore a cervical collar for 8 weeks postoperatively were followed for an average of 27.3 months. A second group of 26 patients who underwent laminoplasty and wore a cervical collar for 4 weeks was followed for an average of 32.8 months.
Results: In both groups, neurologic recovery rate and range of motion on lateral cervical radiographs were longitudinally compared with those obtained preoperatively. There was no significant difference in neurologic recovery between the two groups. In patients who wore the cervical collar for 4 weeks, the total range of the cervical spine was better maintained, especially the extension range of the cervical spine, compared with that in the patients who wore the cervical collar for 8 weeks.
Conclusions: It is speculated that early removal of the cervical collar prevents contracture of the facet joint and postoperative atrophy and dysfunction of the extensor musculature of the cervical spine.