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Original Article

Application of the “Klotski Technique” in Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament With En Bloc Type Dura Ossification

Jian Guan1,2,3,4,5,*orcid, Kang Li1,2,3,4,5,*orcid, Chenghua Yuan1,2,3,4,5, Wanru Duan1,2,3,4,5orcid, Kai Wang1,2,3,4,5orcid, Zhenlei Liu1,2,3,4,5orcid, Zuowei Wang1,2,3,4,5orcid, Xingwen Wang1,2,3,4,5orcid, Hao Wu1,2,3,4,5orcid, Fengzeng Jian1,2,3,4,5orcid, Zan Chen1,2,3,4,5orcid
Neurospine 2024;21(3):994-1003.
Published online: September 30, 2024

1Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

2Spine Center, China International Neuroscience Institute (CHINA-INI), Beijing, China

3Research Center of Spine and Spinal Cord, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

4National Center for Neurological Disorders, Beijing, China

5Lab of Spinal Cord Injury and Functional Reconstruction, China International Neuroscience Institute (CHINA-INI), Beijing, China

Corresponding Author Zan Chen Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, China-INI, 45 Changchun Street, Beijing 100053, China Email: chenzan66@163.com
Co-corresponding Author Fengzeng Jian Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, China-INI, 45 Changchun Street, Beijing 100053, China Email: jianfengzeng@xwh.ccmu.edu.cn

Jian Guan and Kang Li contributed equally to this study as co-first authors.

• Received: January 9, 2024   • Revised: April 14, 2024   • Accepted: May 10, 2024

Copyright © 2024 by the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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    The Spine Journal.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Biportal Endoscopic Techniques for Severe Dural Ossification in Thoracic Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum: Insights From Preoperative Imaging
    Ji Yeon Kim, Su Yong Choi, Dong Chan Lee, Hyeun Sung Kim, Dong Hwa Heo
    Neurospine.2025; 22(3): 819.     CrossRef

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Application of the “Klotski Technique” in Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament With En Bloc Type Dura Ossification
Neurospine. 2024;21(3):994-1003.   Published online September 30, 2024
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Application of the “Klotski Technique” in Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament With En Bloc Type Dura Ossification
Neurospine. 2024;21(3):994-1003.   Published online September 30, 2024
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Application of the “Klotski Technique” in Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament With En Bloc Type Dura Ossification
Image Image Image Image Image
Fig. 1. Schematic of the Klotski technique in ACAF. (A) Preoperative sagittal computed tomography (CT) showing en bloc type OPLL-DO posterior to the vertebral body (arrows). DO often occurs at the site of the most severe compression at the disc level (*). (B) Traditional ACAF requires treatment of the adjacent disc of the OPLL and antedisplacement of 4 vertebral bodies (yellow frame). (C) For the Klotski technique, the antedisplacement space (red frame) is designed according to the shape of the vertebrae-OPLL-DO complex (VODC, yellow frame) restricted within the OPLL-involved segments (green frame), avoiding the location where DO may occur (*). Then, the VODC is antedisplaced as in Klotski. (D) Sagittal CT after antedisplacement, which shows good decompression and confinement of the fused segments within the OPLL-involved segments. ACAF, anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion; OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification.
Fig. 2. Classification of en bloc type OPLL-DO. (A) Type A (OPLL fusion to the vertebrae extending cephalad). (B) Type B (OPLL fusion to the vertebrae extending caudal). (C) Type C (OPLL fusion to the 2 adjacent vertebrae). OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification.
Fig. 3. Images obtained from a 42-year-old man (case 3) who exhibited numbness in both hands with unstable walking for 2 years, which was aggravated for more than 6 months. (A) Lateral x-ray showing OPLL at the C3–5 level. (B) Sagittal computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine showing OPLL at C3–5 and type A en bloc DO at C4. (C) Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing severe spinal cord compression at the C3–5 level. (D) Axial CT at the C4 level showing fusion of the OPLL with the vertebral body. (E) Lateral x-ray showing ACAF of C3–6. (F) Postoperative sagittal CT demonstrated the application of the Klotski technique in ACAF of C3–6. (G) Sagittal MRI demonstrating good morphology of the spinal cord with no compression. (H) Axial CT at the C4 level showing the VODC moving forward with good decompression. (I) Axial CT at the C3 level showing antidisplacement of the VODC into the posterior space of the C3 vertebral body. (J) Intraoperative O-arm scan showing the extent of posterior removal of the C3 vertebral body. (K) Microscopy shows removal of the posterior wall of the C3 vertebral body, exposing the ossification. (L) Adjustment of the microscopic view to show cephalad removal of the posterior wall of the C3 vertebral body to the superior edge of the ossification. OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification; ACAF, anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion; VODC, vertebrae-OPLL-DO complex.
Fig. 4. Images obtained from a 71-year-old man (case 7) who exhibited numbness and pain in the left upper limb for 6 months, which was aggravated with weakness in the left lower limb for 2 months. (A) Lateral x-ray showing OPLL at the C4–6 level. (B) Sagittal computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine showing OPLL and DO at the C4–6 level and type B en bloc DO at C5. (C) Axial CT at the C5 level showing fusion of the OPLL with the vertebral body. (D) Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing severe spinal cord compression at the C4–6 level. (E) Lateral x-ray showing ACAF of C3–6. (F) Postoperative sagittal CT demonstrated the application of the Klotski technique in ACAF of C3–6. (G) Axial CT at the C5 level showing the VODC moving forward with good decompression. (H) Sagittal MRI demonstrating good morphology of the spinal cord with no compression. OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification; ACAF, anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion; VODC, vertebrae-OPLL-DO complex.
Fig. 5. Images obtained from a 57-year-old man (case 8) who exhibited numbness and weakness of the limbs for 4 months. (A) Lateral x-ray showing OPLL at the C3–6 level. (B) Sagittal computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine showing OPLL and DO at the C3–6 level and type C en bloc DO in C4 and type B en bloc DO in C5. (C) Axial CT at the C4 level showing fusion of the OPLL with the vertebral body. (D) Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing severe spinal cord compression at the C3–6 level. (E) Lateral x-ray showing ACAF of C3–6. (F) Postoperative sagittal CT demonstrated the application of the Klotski technique in ACAF of C3–6. (G) Axial CT at the C5 level showing the VODC moving forward with good decompression. (H) Sagittal MRI demonstrating good morphology of the spinal cord with no compression. OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification; ACAF, anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion; VODC, vertebraeOPLL-DO complex.
Application of the “Klotski Technique” in Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament With En Bloc Type Dura Ossification
Variable Group I (n = 11) Group II (n = 14) p-value
Sex 1.000
 Male 7 (63.6) 8 (57.1)
 Female 4 (36.4) 6 (42.9)
Age (yr) 59.3 ± 8.4 57.1 ± 8.1 0.529
Extent of OPLL 0.623
 2 Levels 4 (36.4) 8 (57.1)
 3 Levels 5 (45.5) 5 (35.7)
 4 Levels 2 (18.1) 1 (7.1)
No. of segments of fusion 0.028
 3 3 (27.3) 10 (71.4)
 4 8 (72.7) 4 (28.6)
Type of en bloc DO† 0.869
 Type A 6 (46.2) 9 (56.3)
 Type B 5 (38.5) 6 (37.5)
 Type C 2 (18.3) 1 (6.2)
Operation duration (min) 180.3 ± 23.8 130.0 ± 35.4 < 0.05*
Blood loss (mL) 91.9 ± 23.3 82.7 ± 19.9 0.32
Hospital stay (day) 8.3 ± 1.8 9.5 ± 3.2 0.29
Preoperation JOA 9.2 ± 1.3 9.3 ± 1.5 0.87
Postoperation JOA 14.4 ± 1.9 13.4 ± 1.9 0.26
Improvement rate (%) 69.0 ± 19.1 56.4 ± 19.3 0.13
Occupying rate (%) 67.2 ± 5.8 66.4 ± 9.3 0.83
Spinal canal area (preoperation) 67.0 ± 8.7 68.5 ± 7.3 0.66
Spinal canal area (postoperation) 169.8 ± 9.1 158.9 ± 9.6 < 0.05*
Decompression width 18.5 ± 1.4 16.7 ± 1.3 < 0.05*
Complications
 CSF leakage 1 (9.1) 5 (35.7) 0.18
 Neurological deterioration 1 (9.1) 3 (21.3) 0.60
Table 1. Clinical or radiological data and management strategies of the ACAF and ACCF groups

Values are presented as number (%) or mean±standard deviation.

ACAF, anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion; ACCF, anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion; OPLL, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament; DO, dural ossification; JOA, Japanese Orthopedic Association; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; type A, OPLL fusion to the vertebrae extending cephalad; type B, OPLL fusion to the vertebrae extending caudal; type C, OPLL fusion to the adjacent vertebrae.

p<0.05, statistically significant differences.

Two types of DO may be present in 1 patient at the same time.