Table 1.
Two-year follow-up: presence and change in frequency of symptoms/problems among participants (n = 20)
| Symptom/problem | % Pre-surgery | % Post-surgery | %With improvement in frequency post-surgerya | % With worsening of frequency post-surgerya | p valueb | % With onset post-surgeryc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headaches | 100% | 95% (19/20) | 85% (17/20) | 0 | < 0.001 | 0 |
| Fatigue | 100% | 100% | 30% (6/20) | 15% (3/20) | NS | 0 |
| Dizziness | 100% | 95% (19/20) | 70% (14/20) | 10% (2/20) | < 0.0007 | 0 |
| Muscle pain | 95% (19/20) | 95% (19/20) | 36.8% (7/19) | 10.5% (2/19) | NS | 0 |
| Upper extremity weakness | 90% (18/20) | 85% (17/20) | 61.1% (11/18) | 22.2% (4/18) | NS | 0 |
| Joint pain | 85% (17/20) | 85% (17/20) | 29.4% (5/17) | 11.8% (2/17) | NS | 0 |
| Neck pain | 85% (17/20) | 90% (18/20) | 70.6% (12/17) | 5.9% (1/17) | NS | 33.3% (1/3) |
| Balance problems | 85% (17/20) | 85% (17/20) | 82.4% (14/17) | 5.9% (1/17) | < 0.0001 | 0 |
| Night awakenings | 85% (17/20) | 85% (17/20) | 23.5% (4/17) | 11.8% (2/17) | NS | 0 |
| Memory problems | 80% (16/20) | 80% (16/20) | 68.9% (11/16) | 0 | < 0.002 | 0 |
| Walking problems | 80% (16/20) | 70% (14/20) | 68.9% (11/16) | 6.3% (1/16) | < 0.002 | 0 |
| Upper extremity numbness | 75% (15/20) | 85% (17/20) | 73.3% (11/15) | 6.7% (1/15) | NS | 40% (2/5) |
| Hands and feet turning cold | 75% (15/20) | 70% (14/20) | 26.75% (4/15) | 6.7% (1/15) | NS | 0 |
| Lower extremity numbness | 75% (15/20) | 70% (14/20) | 60% (9/15) | 13.3% (2/15) | NS | 0 |
| Visual problems | 75% (15/20) | 80% (16/20) | 53.3% (8/15) | 13.3% (2/15) | NS | 20% (1/5) |
| Lower extremity weakness | 65% (13/20) | 70% (14/20) | 69.2% (9/13) | 15.4% (2/13) | NS | 14.3% (1/7) |
| Vertigo | 65% (13/20) | 50% (10/20) | 92.3% (12/13) | 0 | < 0.0006 | 0 |
| Hearing problems | 65% (13/20) | 65% (13/20) | 61.5% (8/13) | 15.4% (2/13) | NS (0.053) | 14.3% (1/7) |
| Speech problems | 60% (12/20) | 55% (11/20) | 80% (8/12) | 8.3% (1/12) | < 0.03 | 0 |
| Frequent daytime urination (>every 2 h) | 60% (12/20) | 45% (9/20) | 41.7% (5/12) | 0 | < 0.02 | 0 |
| GERD | 55% (11/20) | 55% (11/20) | 36.4% (4/11) | 0 | NS | 11.1% (1/9) |
| Swallowing/choking problems | 55% (11/20) | 55% (11/20) | 63.4% (7/11) | 18.2% (2/11) | NS | 22.2% (2/9) |
| Nocturia (> twice a night) | 55% (11/20) | 55% (11/20) | 27.3% (3/11) | 9.1% (1/11) | NS | 11.1% (1/9) |
| IBS | 50% (10/20) | 50% (10/20) | 30% (3/10) | 0 | NS | 0 |
| Tremors | 40% (8/20) | 40% (8/20) | 87.5% (7/8) | 0 | NS | 0 |
| Fainting | 35% (7/20) | 25% (5/20) | 85.7% (6/7) | 0 | NS | 14.3% (1/7) |
| Numbness in back | 30% (6/20) | 40% (8/20) | 66.7% (4/6) | 0 | NS | 14.3% (2/14) |
| Sleep apnea | 25% (5/20) | 25% (5/20) | 20% (1/5) | 0 | NS | 0 |
aFor those participants who had presence of symptom/problem prior to surgery
bComparing frequencies of symptom/problem pre vs. post-surgery, a significant p value indicates less frequent symptom/problem post-surgery
cFor those participants who did not have the presence of symptom/problem prior to surgery