Study design: Retrospective analysis.
Objective: To assess the outcome of late surgical intervention in patients with incomplete paraplegia due to spinal degenerative diseases.
Setting: Three men and four women with cervical or thoracic spinal degenerative diseases, who preoperatively were unable to walk for more than 6 months in Mie prefecture, Japan.
Methods: Review of clinical records and questionnaire survey regarding the walking ability of patients 2 years after surgery.
Results: All seven patients were unable to walk postoperatively.
Conclusion: A late surgical intervention may not lead to functional recovery in patients with spinal degenerative disease who were unable to walk for at least 6 months.