ANTERIOR CERVICAL DECOMPRESSION AND FUSION USING AUTOLOGOUS BONE GRAFTS OBTAINED FROM CERVICAL VERTEBRAL BODIES

• Published in: Japanese Journal of National Medical Services Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 210 - 214
• Main Authors: SAWAMURA, Shigeki, TAKAHASHI, Tatsuo, IMAGAWA, Kenji, HATTORI, Kazuyoshi, SUZAKI, Noriyuki, KUWAYAMA, Akio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society of National Medical Services 1996; 一般社団法人 国立医療学会
• Subjects: anterior fusion; cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament; cervical spondylosis; spine; 前方固定; 脊椎; 頸椎後縦靭帯骨化症; 頸椎症
• ISSN: 0021-1699; 1884-8729
• DOI: 10.11261/iryo1946.50.210

The authors describe surgical results of anterior cervical fusion surgeries performed on 40 patients using bone grafts obtained from cervical vertebral bodies. Subjects were from 26 to 81 years of age (average age 53) and had been diagnosed as having cervical intervertebral disc disease, complicated by cervical spondylotic radiculo-myelopathy and cervical myelopathy aue to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Twenty-seven cases required surgery at one level, 11 at two levels, and 2 at three levels. Postoperative neurological results were as good as for other methods of fusion. Postoperative x-ray films showed solid fusion after 5 to 6 months following one level fusion. Anterior angulation, or cervical spine straightness, was found in one-fourth of the cases and none of the patients showed delayed neurological deterioration within a 5 year follow-up period. Only one three-level-fusion patient exhibited severe complications caused by fragility of residual vertebral bodies. This surgical method has many advantages over others, including no complications from iliac donor sites, early patient mobilization, and a wide operative field in which to decompress the cord and nerve roots. However, the authors do not recommend its use for multi-level fusions involving more than three levels due to fragility of residual vertebral bodies.