An analysis of failures in primary cervical anterior spinal cord decompression and fusion

J Spinal Disord. 1993 Aug;6(4):277-88. doi: 10.1097/00002517-199306040-00001.

Abstract

Recently, postoperative results of cervical spondylosis, disc herniation, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) after anterior cervical surgeries have improved. However, occasional unsatisfactory cases needing a second operation remain. We analyzed and developed strategies for multioperated neck (MON) cases; all patients had two operations. From 1965 to 1988, 443 cervical anterior surgeries were performed in our hospitals; 53 (12.0%) of these patients needed second operations. These MON cases were classified by the following causes: pseudarthrosis, graft fracture, insufficient decompression, misdiagnosis, and adjacent disc problems. These groups were analyzed, and the resulting surgical strategies, including indications and techniques of anterior surgery, are described.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Transplantation
  • Calcinosis / surgery*
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery*
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement / surgery*
  • Kyphosis / etiology
  • Kyphosis / surgery
  • Ligaments / pathology*
  • Ligaments / surgery
  • Male
  • Meningioma / diagnosis
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / surgery
  • Pseudarthrosis / etiology
  • Pseudarthrosis / surgery
  • Recurrence
  • Reoperation / statistics & numerical data
  • Spinal Cord Compression / surgery*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Spinal Fractures / etiology
  • Spinal Fractures / surgery
  • Spinal Fusion* / statistics & numerical data
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / surgery*
  • Treatment Failure
  • Wound Healing