title: Lateral retrovascular approach to the upper cervical spine.
abstract: The authors describe the surgical anatomy of lateral approach to the upper cervical spine. The approach is retrovascular retropharyngeal extraoral allowing for anterolateral exposure of the upper cervical column, and it may be enlarged posteriorly on the homolateral posterior hemiarch of C1 and C2, and/or inferiorly on the lower cervical column. Absolute indications to this approach are anterolateral fusion with transarticular screws C1-C2 and excision of skeletal neoplasms adjacent to the vertebral artery. For other indications such as the treatment of anterior neoplasms and spinal cord decompression it is preferable to use pre-vascular extraoral approach or transoral approach.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Ortopedica dell'Università, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gamberini
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Malaguti
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Zappoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giunti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001174:Arthrodesis; D001368:Axis, Cervical Vertebra / Q000601:surgery*; D017824:Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000601:surgery; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed