Abstract
The anterior approach to surgical treatment of disorders of the cervical spine is described, and the technique and advantages are outlined. A series of 66 patients who underwent 75 procedures is reported. The follow-up period ranged from one to five years. Good to excellent results were obtained with 91% of the operations for disc disease, and good results in all cases of fracture-dislocation. Adequate relief of pain was obtained with anterolateral cordotomy in two patients with malignant disease. Only minor complications were encountered; these were easily corrected or cleared up spontaneously. This approach is recommended in preference to the posterior approach for disc disease and fracture-dislocations of the cervical spine.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Aronson N., Bagan M., Filtzer D. L. Results of using the Smith-Robinson approach for herniated and extruded cervical discs. Technical note. J Neurosurg. 1970 Jun;32(6):721–722. doi: 10.3171/jns.1970.32.6.0721. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CLOWARD R. B. The anterior approach for removal of ruptured cervical disks. J Neurosurg. 1958 Nov;15(6):602–617. doi: 10.3171/jns.1958.15.6.0602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HIRSCH C., WICKBOM I., LIDSTROEM A., ROSENGREN K. CERVICAL-DISC RESECTION. A FOLLOW-UP OF MYELOGRAPHIC AND SURGICAL PROCEDURE. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1964 Dec;46:1811–1821. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Raynor R. B. Severe injuries of the cervical spine treated by early anterior interbody fusion and ambulation. J Neurosurg. 1968 Apr;28(4):311–316. doi: 10.3171/jns.1968.28.4.0311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SMITH G. W., ROBINSON R. A. The treatment of certain cervical-spine disorders by anterior removal of the intervertebral disc and interbody fusion. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1958 Jun;40-A(3):607–624. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Williams J. L., Allen M. B., Jr, Harkess J. W. Late results of cervical discectomy and interbody fusion: some factors influencing the results. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1968 Mar;50(2):277–286. doi: 10.2106/00004623-196850020-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]