en Neurosurgery Neurosurgery Original Research: Clinical Science Original Research: Clinical Science We evaluated the specific pattern of pre- and postoperative neurological signs and symptoms of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) to determine [mdings which had a predictive value for surgical outcome. Consecutive patients with CSM caused by osteophytic ridge or intervertebral disc herniation who underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion in Loghman Hakim Hospital from 1999-2003 were prospectively enrolled. Patients were evaluated postoperatively by office visit. Outcome was assessed by objective neurological examination and scoring with multiple functional rating scales. Forty - three patients (30 male, 13 female) with a mean age of 48.8 years fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The most common preoperative symptoms were sensory deficit in distal upper limbs (88.4%), gait disturbance (69.8%) and sensory deficit of distal lower limbs (58.1 %). The most common signs were hyperreflexia (95.3%), Hoffman's sign (93%) and Babinski's sign (83.7%). Vertebral osteophyte and soft disc herniation were found in 86% and 14% of the patients, respectively. Overall functional improvement, evaluated by using a modification of the Japanese Orthopedic Association Scale was noted in 79.7% of the patients who had an abnormal scale preoperatively. Strength improved considerably and significantly after operation. However, less than half of the patients experienced functional improvement in the lower limbs, a discrepancy that was probably caused by persistent spasticity. Atrophy of the hand muscles, preoperative spastic gait and cord atrophy as shown in MRI were poor prognostic factors. Cervical Spondylosis; Myelopathy; Anterior Cervical Decompression. 331 335 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-298-75&slc_lang=en&sid=1 K HADDADIAN 20031947532846003516 20031947532846003516 No O REZAEE 20031947532846003517 20031947532846003517 No S SADEGHI 20031947532846003518 20031947532846003518 No A MODARRES ZAMANI 20031947532846003519 20031947532846003519 No G SHARIFI guivesharifi@hotmail.com 20031947532846003520 20031947532846003520 Yes From Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. A ALI ASGARI 20031947532846003521 20031947532846003521 No