Year: 2008
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Cervical spondylosis is a chronic degenerative condition affecting the vertebral bodies, intervertebral disks, and the spinal canal.This is a retrospective study of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion from 1993 to 2008 and the age, sex ratio, the level of disc prolapse, symptoms, complications of surgery and the outcome was assessed The total number of cases was 101, with predominantly males (78 cases, 77%).The most common age group was between 41 and 60 years with a total of 55 cases followed by the 31 to 40 age group with 17 cases.Spontaneous disc prolapse was the most common case (62%) and the rest was because of trauma (39%).C5-6 was the most often disc prolapse level with 56 cases (55%), followed by C4-5 level with 26 cases (26%).Disc at multiple level was present in only 9 cases (9%).Neurological assessment was done pre and postoperative as defined by Ranawat et al.At presentation majority were in Grade II (66%), followed by Grade IIIA (35%).Postoperatively there was a reduction in weakness from 66% to 25% in Grade II and from 35% to 10% for Grade IIIA.It is interesting to note that although none of them were in grade I before surgery, postoperatively 62.5% of patients improved to that grade.Check x ray was done at 8 weeks and the fusion was assessed.The continuity of the graft and the adjacent spinal curvature was also assessed and there was more than 93% fusion rate.Although there are other options now than to use autograft for fusion, the old Smith-Robinson technique seems to be a time tested method for discectomy especially in developing countries where the cost of implant is a major limiting factor.
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2209539728