Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy involving two adjacent nerve roots. Anterior decompression through a single level intervertebral approach.
We describe a single level intervertebral approach to decompress two adjacent involved nerve roots in cases of cervical spondylosis. The operation was undertaken in 4 patients. We carried out discectomy, partial excision of the vertebral body with removal of the anteromedial part of the pedicles, removal of osteophytes and excision of the posterior longitudinal ligament, followed by an anterior interbody fusion. Fusion was achieved with the spine in normal lordosis and without complications. Pain and motor weakness was relieved in every case. This procedure can maintain movement at one additional disc level and has a better fusion rate than multilevel inter-body fusion.
Iwasaki
M
M
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Okada
K
K
Tsumaki
N
N
Obata
H
H
Shirasaki
N
N
Oka
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery