Micturitional disturbance in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the cervical spine

Neurourological studies were performed on 39 patients with cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Micturitional history revealed that 30 patients (77%) had voiding symptoms: obstructive in 8, irritative in 11, and both obstructive and irritative symptoms in 11. Ten patients had urge incontinence and 4 had urinary retention. Urodynamic studies revealed that 7 of 19 had abnormal uroflowmetrogram, 16 of 35 had residual urine, 18 of 39 had detrusor hyperreflexia, and 10 of 39 had detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. There were no statistical differences in lower extremity neurological signs in patients with incontinence, and patients with residual urine or urinary retention.