Multiple cervical arcocristectomies for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy: surgical technique and results

J Neurosurg Spine. 2007 Nov;7(5):503-8. doi: 10.3171/SPI-07/11/503.

Abstract

Object: In the surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, a posterior approach is recommended for patients with multilevel cervical stenosis. In this article the authors describe the multiple cervical arcocristectomy technique and results.

Methods: This surgical technique involves the removal of the upper half of the cervical laminae and was performed in 17 patients between 1997 and 2005 with a mean follow-up of 55 months.

Results: Sixteen patients showed immediate improvement in myelopathic symptoms, and all of them had long-term improvement with no complications and a relatively short surgical time.

Conclusions: Multiple cervical arcocristectomy is a surgical technique that offers physiological and biomechanical advantages in the treatment of the spondylotic myelopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cervical Vertebrae*
  • Decompression, Surgical / methods*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Laminectomy / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Spinal Cord Compression / etiology*
  • Spinal Cord Compression / pathology
  • Spinal Cord Compression / surgery*
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / complications
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / pathology
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome