Table 2.
Average headache and neck pain scores before and after surgery
| 1 = None, 2 = Mild, 3 = Moderate, 4 = Severe, 5 = Incapacitating | Pre-op headache pain | Post-op headache pain | p value | Pre-op neck pain | Post-op neck pain | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Subjects* (n = 46 headache, n = 45 neck pain) | 4.3 | 3.3 | < 0.00001 | 4.3 | 3.3 | < 0.00001 |
| CM/LLCT with CSF flow obstruction (n = 28) | 4.4 | 3.2 | 0.0002 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 0.00002 |
| No CSF flow obstruction (n = 18 headache, n = 17 neck pain) | 4.3 | 3.5 | 0.0003 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 0.02 |
32 subjects had CSF flow obstruction and required a decompression (18 CMI, 13 LLCT, 1 FM stenosis), 3 were excluded because they had been previously decompressed, and 1 was excluded for no post-op pain scores (incomplete postoperative in-office questionnaire)
21 subjects did not have CSF flow obstruction (1 of these had LLCT but no obstruction), 3 were excluded for no post-op pain scores for headache or neck pain, and 1 for no post-op neck pain score. There was no significant difference between the two groups for change in headache (p = 0.46) or neck pain (p = 0.36).
*Excludes 3 patients who had been previously decompressed for purposes of CMI/non-CMI comparison