Researchers investigated a national database. For a study, the researchers sought to determine how common dysphagia was among Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients who had cervical spine surgery for cervical myelopathy. From 1998 to 2016, all elective admissions with CSM were identified using the National Inpatient Sample. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), posterior laminectomies, posterior cervical fusion, or combined anterior/posterior surgery were discovered as surgical therapies. There was evidence of pre-existing Parkinson’s disease. Mortality, length of stay (LOS), swallowing impairment as determined by installing a feeding tube (NGT), and postprocedure pneumonia were all endpoints. During the study period, a total of 73,088 patients had CSM surgical procedures. Concomitant PD was found in 552 patients (7.5%). ACDF was the most prevalent procedure. After surgery, patients with PD had a greater rate of dysphagia (NGT insertion) than those without PD (P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that PD patients were more likely to have NGT placement or suffer pneumonia following surgery [odds ratio 2.98 (1.7-5.2), P<0.001]. Patients with Parkinson’s disease who received ACDF, posterior laminectomies, or posterior cervical fusion had a longer LOS than those who did not (P<0.001). Patients who received combination anterior/posterior surgery had the same LOS as those who did not. However, patients with PD who underwent ACDF or combination surgery had a greater inpatient mortality rate (P<0.001). While ACDF was the most commonly used procedure for CSM in patients with Parkinson’s disease, it was associated with a longer LOS, a higher incidence of postoperative dysphagia and postprocedural pneumonia, and a higher inpatient mortality rate when compared to posterior cervical procedures.
