Late Results of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with Interbody Cages

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of anterior cervical discectomy with fusion for degenerative cervical disc disease. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Anterior spinal surgery originated in the mid-1950s and graft for fusion was also employed. Currently anterior cervical microdiscectomy and fusion with an intervertebral cage is a widely accepted procedure for treatment of cervical disc hernia. Artificial grafts and cages for fusion are preferred because of their lower morbidity, reduced operating time and acceptable fusion rate. METHODS: The study involved retrospective analysis and investigation of long-term results for 41 consecutive patients who had undergone anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with an intervertebral cage for cervical disc hernia. The angle of lordosis, segmental height and range of motion were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 month and 2 years. The clinical outcome was assessed by the visual analog scale and Odom's criteria. RESULTS: The angle of lordosis increased by 2.62degrees and the range of motion angle increased by 5.14degrees after the operation. The segmental height did not change. The visual analog scale and Odom's criteria scores decreased significantly after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Using a cage in anterior cervical discectomy prevents segmental collapse, so the segmental height and the angle of lordosis are preserved and newly-developed pain does not occur.

Myelopathy and Quadriparesis due to Spinal Cord Compression of C1 Laminar Osteochondroma

The aim of this paper is to show that osteochondromas of the cervical vertebrae can cause myelopathy and neck pain.The reported etiology, diagnosis, treatment and differential diagnosis were reviewed. Osteochondromas may present as a solitary lesion with no genetic component or as multiple lesions as a part of a genetic disorder known as hereditary multiple exostosis. Osteochondromas of the spine are rarely encountered in clinical practice. These lesions are reported more commonly with neural compression in cases associated with hereditary multiple exostosis. The authors describe a unusual clinical manifestation of a solitary osteochondroma located in the right posterior arch of the atlas. Complete removal of the tumor was performed resulting in the relief of neck pain and spastic quadriparesis. Although unusual, osteochondromas of the cervical spine must be considered in patients with persistent neck pain and progressive symptoms of myelopathy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in conjunction with plain radiograms is the neuroradiological modality of choice. The diagnosis and surgical excision of these tumors are important because they can cause spinal stenosis resulting in neural tissue compression and myelopathy.