Outcome study of surgical treatment for axial neck pain.
BACKGROUND
We reviewed our surgical treatment of chronic axial cervical pain over a 4-year period to determine whether surgery in selected cases was associated with favorable outcomes.


METHODS
We retrospectively studied 27 consecutive cases (20 patients with follow-up) of longstanding axial cervical spine pain treated surgically by a single surgeon from June 1994 through August 1998. Diagnostic workup included the following when appropriate: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with interview, provocative diskography (with a nonpainful control level), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and diagnostic facet injection. Twenty patients (74%) responded to a postoperative telephone survey.


RESULTS
For general outcome measures, 85% of patients reported satisfaction with pain relief and surgical result. Ninety-five percent stated they would repeat the procedure; 85% manifested improvement in Prolo score.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment of chronic axial neck pain, when preceded by thorough evaluation, can yield excellent clinical results.
Ratliff
J
J
Department of Neurosurgery, Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA.
Voorhies
R M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon