Effectiveness of Fu’s Subcutaneous Needling for Managing Postoperative Axial Symptoms After Cervical Laminoplasty: A Retrospective Observational Study

Purpose: Cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty (EOLP) effectively treats multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy, but postoperative axial symptoms (AS) remain common. Fu’s subcutaneous needling (FSN) may alleviate myofascial pain, yet evidence for postoperative AS is limited. Methods: Medical records of patients treated at the Department of Spine Surgery, Peking University People’s Hospital, between August 2023 and December 2024 were reviewed. Based on actual rehabilitation strategies, patients were classified into an FSN group (n=48) and a control group (n=48). Outcomes were evaluated at four timepoints using VAS, NDI, JOA, cervical sagittal alignment parameters (C 2– 7 Cobb angle, SVA, T 1 slope), and cervical ROM. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed according to pain severity and age. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Compared with the control group, the FSN group showed significantly greater improvement in VAS, NDI, and JOA scores during follow-up (all P < 0.05). The FSN group also demonstrated better recovery of cervical sagittal alignment, greater cervical ROM, and a shorter duration of neck brace use. These benefits were maintained at the 12-week follow-up. Subgroup analysis suggested enhanced benefit in patients with higher preoperative pain. No FSN-related adverse events occurred. Conclusion: FSN may be a safe and promising adjunct to standard rehabilitation for postoperative AS after EOLP and may be particularly beneficial in patients with higher baseline pain. Prospective controlled studies are warranted to further validate these findings.