title: Myelography in the late postoperative period in patients subjected to anterior cervical decompression and fusion.
abstract: During a 13 year period, 286 patients with cervical disc herniation and/or spondylotic spurs, were subjected to anterior decompression and vertebral interbody fusion with autologous bone. Twenty patients were re-admitted in the late postoperative period due to recurrent radicular symptoms and/or signs of myelopathy. In these patients myelography was performed again. In 14 patients spinal cord compression and/or nerve root involvement at a new level was visualized. At the operated level, however, the myelograms demonstrated a smooth anterior wall in the spinal canal. The series confirms the safety, effectiveness and reliability of the Cloward procedure in achieving long term spinal cord and nerve root decompression, and a solid vertebral interbody fusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmstedt
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Obrant
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holtas
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009192:Myelography; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery