Surgical revision for failed anterior cervical fusions. Articular pillar plating or anterior revision?
METHODS
This retrospective study reviewed one surgeon's experience in treating symptomatic anterior cervical pseudarthrosis by three methods: anterior revisions, posterior revisions, and circumferential procedures.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether anterior revision and plating achieves a higher probability of radiographic fusion and better clinical outcomes compared with posterior fusion and articular pillar plating. The role of circumferential procedures was evaluated.


BACKGROUND
Management of cervical pseudarthrosis by a repeat anterior procedure requires a difficult dissection in a previously operated area, resection of a nonunion site, and regrafting. Because the incidence of failure is reported to be high, posterior cervical fusion has been proposed as a treatment for anterior pseudarthrosis.


METHODS
The second author has performed 44 surgical revisions for symptomatic anterior cervical pseudarthrosis. Before this surgical revision, all patients had pain and a radiographic nonunion that was confirmed during surgery. The average follow-up period after the secondary procedure was 28 months with a range of 12-60 months. All patients (100%) were available for follow-up evaluation. Twenty patients had anterior pseudarthrosis repair and anterior plating. Seventeen patients underwent posterior cervical fusion and articular pillar plating. Seven patients had a circumferential repair with anterior revision and posterior articular pillar plating.


RESULTS
All seven patients (100%) who had circumferential procedures achieved a solid radiographic fusion. Clinically, five patients felt better than before surgery, and two patients felt the same. Sixteen of 17 patients (94%) with posterior repairs achieved a solid fusion. Fourteen patients felt better; two patients felt the same, and one patient with a nonunion felt worse than before surgery. A solid fusion was obtained in only 45% of the patients after anterior repair alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Posterior cervical articular pillar plating and fusion result in a higher probability of fusion than repeat anterior procedures, even with the addition of anterior plate stabilization. Posterior fusion and articular pillar plating, whether alone or part of a circumferential procedure, provides the added fixation required to successfully repair failed anterior cervical fusions.
Lowery
G L
GL
Research Institute International, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Swank
M L
ML
McDonough
R F
RF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011542:Pseudarthrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome