title: Vertebral body split fracture after a single-level cervical total disc replacement.
abstract: Cervical total disc replacement (TDR) is a viable option for the surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease. This 67-year-old nonsmoking male patient underwent single-level ProDisc-C cervical TDR at C5-6 without any intraoperative problem. His radicular pain improved and he had no neck pain immediately after the operation. However, on postoperative Day 3, a radiograph demonstrated a vertical split fracture of the C-5 vertebra. This fracture was managed conservatively, and 2 years postoperatively a follow-up CT scan demonstrated stable device position and fusion of the fracture. Although the linear fracture caused no neurological symptoms or device migration, the authors advocate prudence in selection and installation of keel-design prostheses, even in a single-level cervical TDR scenario.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsi
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Jau-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Li-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Fay
authors.forename: Chin-Chu
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Wen-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Henrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D059145:Total Disc Replacement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*