Surgical management of symptomatic cervical or cervicothoracic kyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis.
METHODS
Literature review.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate surgical management and outcomes in the treatment of severe chin-on-chest deformities due to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).


BACKGROUND
AS is a chronic inflammatory disease that can lead to severe flexion deformities involving the cervicothoracic spine. The resulting chin-on-chest deformity can be extremely debilitating.


METHODS
Literature search using PubMed database.


RESULTS
Six retrospective clinical studies were identified. No randomized or prospective studies were found. The indication for surgery was primarily loss of horizontal gaze. The most common surgical technique was based on the original Simmons osteotomy at C7-T1. Analysis of radiographic studies and the chin-brow to vertical angles demonstrated significant improvement in the flexion deformity in all cases after surgery. The complication rate was high, ranging from 26.9% to 87.5%, with a mortality rate of 2.6%. However, most complications were minor, and the permanent neurologic complication rate was 4.3%. All patients had improvement in horizontal gaze, and patient satisfaction after surgery appeared high.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these studies, it seems that for the severely impaired patient with loss of horizontal gaze, surgical correction is a reasonable option with a high likelihood of success.
Etame
Arnold B
AB
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5338, USA.
Than
Khoi D
KD
Wang
Anthony C
AC
La Marca
Frank
F
Park
Paul
P
D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*