Evaluation of surgical treatment of cervical disc and spondylosis

ABSTRACT

One hundred and forty patients with cervical disc disease and spondylosis treated surgically in the period between 1990 to 1996 at Al-Azhar University Hospitals. They were 110 males and 30 females. The surgical approach was depended on clinico-radiological presentation. Anterior diskectomy was performed in 50 cases and decompressive posterier laminectomy in 90 cases. In anterior diskectomy group, 84% showed improvement, 10% remained unchanged and 6% worsened. In decompressive laminectomy group, 58.8% improved, 18.4% unchanged and 22.2% worsened. Anterior diskectomy had less risk of overall complication than decompressive laminectomy. The indication of surgery is the presence of substantially disc [proved radiologically] of obliterating the subarachnoid space and it should be indenting the cord itself with one of the clinical syndromes. The surgery is urgent once the case is diagnosed to stop further neurological deficits