The anterior surgical approach to the cervical spine for intervertebral disc disease

• Published in: Neurosurgery Vol. 54; no. 5; p. 1144
• Main Authors: Russell, Stephen M, Benjamin, Vallo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Bone Transplantation - methods; Cervical Vertebrae - pathology; Cervical Vertebrae - surgery; Decompression, Surgical - methods; Dura Mater - pathology; Dura Mater - surgery; Humans; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - complications; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - pathology; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - surgery; Spinal Cord Compression - etiology; Spinal Cord Compression - pathology; Spinal Cord Compression - surgery; Spinal Fusion - methods; Spinal Osteophytosis - complications; Spinal Osteophytosis - pathology; Spinal Osteophytosis - surgery
• ISSN: 0148-396X
• DOI: 10.1227/01.NEU.0000119756.07901.E1

THE ANTERIOR SURGICAL APPROACH to the cervical spine in patients with discogenic compressive pathological findings causing radiculopathy or myelopathy is a commonly performed operation with several technical variations. We describe the normal and pathological anatomy and the techniques of surgical decompression of the dura with autograft fusion, which we have used for the past 35 years.