Cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylosis surgically treated by Cloward procedure: a 10-year-minimum follow-up study

Background  

Cervical degenerative pathology produces pain and disability, and if conservative treatment fails, surgery is indicated. The aim of this study was to determined whether anterior decompression and interbody fusion according to Cloward is effective for treating segmental cervical degenerative pathology and whether the results are durable after a 10-year-minimum follow-up.     

Choice of surgical approach for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in combination with cervical disc hernia

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a common spinal disorder that presents with or without cervical myelopathy. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that OPLL often coexists with cervical disc hernia (CDH), and that the latter is the more important compression factor. To raise the awareness of CDH in OPLL for spinal surgeons, we performed a retrospective study on 142 patients with radiologically proven OPLL who had received surgery between January 2004 and January 2008 in our hospital. Plain radiograph, three-dimensional computed tomography construction (3D CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine were all performed. Twenty-six patients with obvious CDH (15 of segmental-type, nine of mixed-type, two of continuous-type) were selected via clinical and radiographic features, and intraoperative findings. By MRI, the most commonly involved level was C5/6, followed by C3/4, C4/5, and C6/7. The areas of greatest spinal cord compression were at the disc levels because of herniated cervical discs. Eight patients were decompressed via anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), 13 patients via anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and five patients via ACDF combined with posterior laminectomy and fusion. The outcomes were all favorable. In conclusion, surgeons should consider the potential for CDH when performing spinal cord decompression and deciding the surgical approach in patients presenting with OPLL.     

Pedicle screw fixation of the C7 vertebra using an anteroposterior fluoroscopic imaging technique

Cervical pedicle screws have been reported to be biomechanically superior to lateral mass screws. However, placement of these implants is a technical challenge. The purpose of this investigation was to use an anatomic and a clinical study to evaluate a technique for placement of the pedicle screws in the C7 vertebra using fluoroscopic imaging in only the anteroposterior (A/P) plane. Ten adult cadaver C7 vertebrae were used to record the pedicle width, inclination and a suitable entry point for placement of pedicle screws. A prospective study of 28 patients undergoing posterior instrumentation of the cervical spine with C7 pedicle screw placement was also performed. A total of 55 C7 pedicle screws were placed using imaging only in the A/P plane with screw trajectory values obtained by the anatomic study. Radiographs and CT scans were performed post-operatively. The average posterior pedicle diameter of C7 vertebra was 9.5 ± 1.2 mm in this study. The average middle pedicle diameter was 7.1 mm and the average anterior pedicle diameter was 9.2 mm. The average transverse pedicle angle was 26.8 on the right and 27.3 on the left. CT scans were obtained on 20 of 28 patients which showed two asymptomatic cortical wall perforations. One screw penetrated the lateral wall of the pedicle and another displayed an anterior vertebral penetration. There were no medial wall perforations. The preliminary results suggest that this technique is safe and suitable for pedicle screw placement in the C7 vertebra.     

颈脊髓损伤后外科干预时机的选择

目的探讨颈脊髓损伤后外科干预的时机。方法将53例颈脊髓损伤,按伤后手术时间分24h内手术组(A组)、25～72h组(B组)、3～7d组(C组)、8～14d组(D组);按脊髓损伤严重程度分脊髓严重损伤组、脊髓损伤组,通过ASIA评分评定神经功能。结果各组术后ASIA评分均增高,A组最高,B组在术后1、3个月ASIA评分高于C组,但末次随访两组无差异。脊髓严重损伤组ASIA评分均明显低于脊髓损伤组。结论颈脊髓损伤患者入院后,应充分评估病情,对颈髓不完全损伤者宜3d内手术,24h内手术更好;如为脊髓严重损伤者,宜在7d左右手术。     

颈前路椎体切除植骨融合术后钛网沉陷的临床研究

目的探讨颈前路椎体切除植骨融合术后钛网沉陷的风险因素以及钛网沉陷对临床疗效的影响。方法 2003年5月～2007年8月采用颈前路椎体切除植骨融合术治疗颈椎疾病患者300例。分析患者的年龄、性别、切除节段、固定钢板的类型以及是否使用垫片这5个因素是否为钛网沉陷的风险因素,研究钛网沉陷对颈椎曲度及其他临床疗效的影响。结果随访1年,239例（79.7%）患者发生钛网沉陷,其中182例（60.7%）发生轻度沉陷（1～3mm）,57例（19.0%）发生严重沉陷（〉3mm）。双节段切除较单节段切除更易发生严重钛网沉陷。发生严重钛网沉陷的患者术后神经功能恢复率明显低于未发生钛网沉陷的患者。同时,钛网严重沉陷增加了患者颈肩部疼痛、神经症状复发以及内固定失败的发生率。结论钛网沉陷在颈前路椎体切除钛网植骨融合术后发生较为普遍。多节段切除是发生严重钛网沉陷的危险因素,严重钛网沉陷可导致手术疗效下降及相关并发症的发生。     

经椎间隙减压与椎体次全切除术治疗相邻节段颈椎病的比较

目的比较前路经椎间隙减压与椎体次全切除术治疗相邻节段颈椎病的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析2003年5月～2008年5月由同一组医师行颈前路手术治疗的相邻双节段颈椎病患者21例。依据手术方式分为2组。A组,椎间隙减压联合椎间融合器植骨融合组9例;B组,保留椎体后壁的颈前路椎体次全切除减压联合钛网植骨融合组12例。比较2组手术时间、术中出血量、住院花费、JOA评分、颈椎生理曲度及椎间高度变化,并观察植骨融合情况。结果B组中有2例原计划为行经椎间隙减压,术中改为行保留椎体后壁的次全切除减压术式。所有患者均随访18个月以上,平均22个月。B组手术时间略短于A组,出血量略低于A组,但差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。末次随访时,2组的JOA评分差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。2组均无内置物松动或下沉。A组治疗费用高于B组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。2组术后3个月椎间高度及生理曲度较术前均有提高,但2组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。末次随访时植骨融合率为100％。结论2种方法治疗连续双节段颈椎病均可获得可靠临床疗效,并能获得术后稳定性。但椎间隙减压操作相对复杂,治疗费用略高。如术中出血较多影响术野,或者椎体后缘骨赘较多,难以操作,应及时更换手术方式。     

内镜下上颈椎前方咽后入路的应用解剖学研究

目的 对上颈椎前路咽后入路进行解剖学研究,为应用内镜行上颈椎前路手术提供解剖学依据.方法 对10具防腐和3具新鲜成人尸体标本进行C臂机下模拟上颈椎前路手术内固定及逐层解剖,测量咽后壁厚度,观察穿刺套管经甲状腺上动脉下方入路时与重要血管神经等结构的相应关系,分析MED下进行上颈椎前路咽后壁手术的安全性.结果 MED套管与甲状腺上血管、神经相邻,而距离舌下神经、舌动脉、舌咽神经等较远.在颈1～2水平咽后壁正中旁开10 mm软组织厚度平均为(5.32±2.14)mm,咽后间隙与椎前间隙之间可以形成较大腔隙,足可以安全放置外径18 mm套管.结论 经内镜下行上颈椎前路咽后手术入路是安全的.     

无骨折脱位型急性中央颈脊髓损伤的手术疗效分析

目的分析评价无骨折脱位型中央颈脊髓损伤的手术治疗效果。方法自2000年5月至2005年4月,手术治疗了52例无颈椎骨折脱位型中央颈脊髓损伤患者,均经术前影像学检查证实。所有患者都接受损伤段颈椎前路或后路减压、融合和内固定手术。住院期间每日进行症状和体征的观测,脊髓功能采用美国脊柱损伤协会（ASIA）标准进行评分,以线性回归分析方法评价手术对患者ASIA评分的影响。随访患者的最终脊髓功能恢复情况,时间从12～42个月,平均29个月。结果手术后ASIA恢复曲线明显较手术前抬升（P〈0．01）。最终随访时所有患者的ASIA运动、针刺觉和轻触觉评分分别为（91±7）,（107±6）和（107±6）分,均较术前有明显好转（P〈0．01）。结论对损伤水平的脊柱充分减压和固定,可以给水肿的脊髓创造一个宽松和稳定的膨胀空间,加速脊髓功能的早期恢复,改善远期效果。     

CT重建颈椎椎弓根轴线投影点的定位研究

目的通过CT测量C3-C7椎弓根所得的相关数据,提高椎弓根螺钉内固定术的准确性和安全性。方法采用高速螺旋CT扫描测量30例健康志愿者C3-C7椎弓根的置钉点与后正中线的距离、椎弓根松质骨宽度、椎弓根松质骨高度、椎弓根深度,根据所得数据重建出椎弓根的形态。结果CT重建显示C3-C7椎弓根松质骨宽度逐步变大,椎弓根的深度比较均一;椎弓根倾斜角度在33．76°-47．20°之间,C3-C7倾斜角度逐步变小;椎弓根进钉点与正中线的距离比较均一。各项数据左右侧之间没有显著差异,但男女性之间有显著差异。结论重建CT所得数据为临床颈椎椎弓根内固定提供重要参考。