Complications and long-term follow-up results in titanium mesh cage reconstruction after cervical corpectomy.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of the complications and long-term outcome with a minimum 2-year follow-up of anterior cervical reconstruction using titanium mesh cage is evaluated. Relevant literature was also reviewed to discuss the potential risk factors of the complications of this procedure.


METHODS
From 1999 to 2003, 26 patients with cervical spine disorders, (12 patients with OPLL, 7 with cervical spondylosis, 3 with vertebral tumors, 2 with osteomyelitis, and 2 with traumatic lesions) were operated on by this procedure. The series included 14 males and 12 females with a mean age of 60.9 years. Corpectomy was performed on 1 (14 cases), 2 (12 cases). Autologous bone fragments were taken from the excised vertebra.


RESULTS
The average improvement rate as scored on the neurosurgical cervical spine scale was 67.4%. The average follow-up period was 54.3 months (range, 24 to 72 months) in 21 who were followed up, and bone union was observed in all cases (22/22 cases) that could be followed up for more than 6 months postoperatively. The average time required for fusion was 6.7 months. Postoperative complications included dyspnea (1 case) and cerebrospinal fluid leakage (2 cases), which was treated by lumbar drainage, without any additional repair operation. No hardware-related complications or adjacent segment degenerative changes were encountered during the follow-up periods.


CONCLUSIONS
This reconstruction technique yielded good clinical results and helped to avoid complications associated with harvesting bone from the iliac crest donor site. However, risk factors related to the method should be carefully considered.
Nakase
Hiroyuki
H
Dept of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Japan. nakasehi@naramed-u.ac.jp
Park
Young-Su
YS
Kimura
Hajime
H
Sakaki
Toshisuke
T
Morimoto
Tetsuya
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014025:Titanium
D014025:Titanium