Cervical spine lateral approach for myeloradiculopathy: technique and pitfalls
Received 1 October 2008; accepted 22 April 2009. published online 16 July 2009.
Abstract
Background
The authors describe the rationale of cervical spine lateral approach technique to manage spondylotic myeloradiculopathy with its advantages, disadvantages, complications, and pitfalls.
Methods
The cervical lateral approach could be indicated to treat spondylotic myeloradiculopathy where anterior compression is predominant and the spine is straight or kyphotic without instability.
Results
Using the present approach the lateral aspect of the cervical spine is easily reached and the vertebral artery is well controlled. The lateral part of the pathological intervertebral discs, uncovertebral joints, vertebral bodies and posterior longitudinal ligament are removed as necessary and decompression tailored to each patient to completely free the nerve roots and/or spinal cord.
Conclusion
The cervical lateral multilevel corpectomy/foraminotomy technique allows wide anterior decompression of the spinal cord and complete unilateral nerve root decompression preserving spinal stability and physiological spinal motion.
Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisiere University Hospital, 75475 Paris, France
Corresponding author. Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Lariboisière, 2 rue Ambroise Paré 75475 Paris cedex 10, France. Tel.: +33 1 49958146; fax: +33 1 49958155.
ABSTRACT