[Evaluation of the clinical and radiological results of cervical longitudinal median somatotomy without graft].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of cervical longitudinal median somatotomy without graft, used for the treatment of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy, and compare it to techniques with graft and to laminectomies.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients (25 males and nine females), with a mean age over 60 years, were included in a study comparing pre- and postoperative clinical status on the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) functional scale and radiological status with evaluation of the cervical curve on plain films and dynamic tests in flexion and extension.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found with the clinical and anatomical results published in the literature concerning median somatotomies performed with graft and/or osteosynthesis and laminectomies and their variants.


CONCLUSIONS
The cervical longitudinal median somatotomy without graft is an easy and reliable technique that can be proposed as first-line treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy related to anterior compression. It decreases the cost and the duration of the surgical procedure, it protects the patient from the complications and sequelae related to graft harvesting and the use of implants. It should be limited to patients without preoperative kyphosis who are over 50 years old.
Tourneux
H
H
Service de neurochirurgie, hôpital de Bellevue, CHU de Saint-Etienne, 17, boulevard de Pasteur, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 2, France.
Nuti
C
C
Fotso
M-J
MJ
Dumas
B
B
Duthel
R
R
Brunon
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods*