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Background: High volume (HV) has been associated with improved outcomes in various neurosurgical procedures. The objective of this study was to explore the regional distribution of HV spine centers for cervical spine fusion and compare characteristics and outcomes for patients treated at HV centers versus lower volume centers., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample database 2016-2020 was queried for patients undergoing cervical spine fusion for degenerative pathology. HV was defined as case-loads greater than 2 standard deviations above the mean. Patient characteristics, procedures, and outcomes were compared., Results: Of 3895 hospitals performing cervical spine fusion for degenerative pathology, 28 (0.76%) were HV. The Mid-Atlantic and West South Central regions had the highest number of HV hospitals. HV hospitals were more likely to perform open anterior fusion surgeries (P < 0.01). Patients treated at HV hospitals were less likely to have severe symptomatology or comorbidities (P < 0.01 for all). When controlling for severity and demographics on multivariate analysis, HV centers had higher odds of length of stay ≤1 day, favorable discharge, and decreased total charges., Conclusions: Patients who underwent cervical spine fusion surgery at HV hospitals were less complex and had increased odds of length of stay ≤1, favorable discharge, and total charges in the lower 25th percentile than patients treated at non-HV hospitals. Physician comfort, patient selection, institutional infrastructure, and geographic characteristics likely play a role., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Chordomas are a rare and relatively slow-growing malignancy of notochordal origin with a nearly 50% recurrence rate. Chordomas of the cervical spine are particularly challenging tumors given surrounding vital anatomical structures. Although standard in other areas of the spine, en bloc resection of cervical chordomas is exceedingly difficult and carries the risk of significant postoperative morbidity. Here, the authors present their institutional experience with 13 patients treated with a structure-sparing radical resection and adjuvant radiation for cervical chordomas., Methods: Records of the standing senior author and institutional database of spinal surgeries were retrospectively reviewed for surgically managed cervical and high thoracic chordomas between 1997 and 2022. Chordomas whose epicenter was cervical but touched the clivus or had extension to the thoracic spine were included in this series. Clinical and operative data were gathered and analyzed for the index surgery and any revisions needed. Outcome metrics such as recurrence rates, complication rates, functional status, progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated., Results: The median patient age at diagnosis was 57 (range 32-80) years. The median modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at the time of presentation was 1 (range 0-4). Approximately 40% of tumors were located in the upper cervical spine (occiput-C2). The median time from diagnosis to surgery was 74.5 (range 10-483) days. Gross-total resection was achieved in just under 40% of patients. All patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. The mean duration of follow-up was 4.09 years, with a mean PFI of 3.80 (range 1.16-13.1) years. Five patients experienced recurrence (38.5%). The mean OS was 3.44 years. Three patients died during the follow-up period; 2 due to disease progression and 1 died in the immediate postoperative period. One patient was lost to follow-up. A significant positive relationship was identified between high cervical tumor location and disease recurrence (p = 0.021)., Conclusions: While en bloc resection is appropriate and feasible for tumors in the sacral spine, the cervical region poses a significant technical challenge and is associated with increased postoperative morbidity. Radical resection may allow for achievement of negative operative margins and, along with sparing postoperative morbidity following resection of cervical chordomas, maintaining a similar rate of recurrence when compared with en bloc resection while preserving quality of life.

Study Design: An analysis of employment status data up to 10 years following the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) randomized trial and extension as post-approval study comparing BRYAN cervical disc (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) arthroplasty (CDA) versus single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) was performed., Objective: Ten-year experience with the BRYAN disc arthroplasty trial provides opportunity to report patient employment data., Summary of Background Data: The long-term consequences of arthroplasty remain incomplete, including the occurrence of occupational compromise., Methods: Patients' employment status were measured at regular intervals in both groups up to 10 years., Results: The preoperative employment status proportion was comparable between investigational (BRYAN CDA) and control (ACDF) groups. In the investigational group, 49.2% returned to work at 6 weeks compared with 39.4% of the control group (P = 0.046). At 6 months and 2 years postoperatively, there was a similar likelihood of active employment in both groups. After 2 years at all time points, 10% drop-off seen in control group employment, but not in investigational group. At 10 years, 76.2% CDA patients were employed to 64.1% ACDF patients (P = 0.057). Preoperative variables influencing work status at 10 years following CDA included: preoperative work status, age, and SF-36 Mental Component Score (SF-36 MCS); whereas, no significant preoperative factor identified with ACDF. Time to return to work was influenced in both groups by preoperative work status; and in the ACDF group: reaching age 65 at 10-year visit, preoperative arm pain and NDI score had significant influences., Conclusion: More patients returned to work at 6 weeks after CDA compared with ACDF, although there was no difference by 6 months. After 2 years, a nonsignificant trend toward higher employment rates in the arthroplasty group was evident, but this difference could not be validated due to the very high rate of loss of patients to the follow-up., Level of Evidence: 2.

Background: Cervical disk arthroplasty is now a widely accepted alternative to anterior cervical interbody fusion, which is known to reduce normal cervical motion and increase the incidence of adjacent segment disease. Although multiple studies report the use of cervical disk arthroplasty to treat multilevel cervical disease, this is the first report in the literature detailing the placement of multiple, noncontiguous artificial disks., Case Description: We describe a 41-year-old male who presented with myelopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy resulting from 2 cervical disk herniations separated by a normal intervening level. He underwent an anterior cervical diskectomy and placement of an artificial disk prosthesis at cervical (C) 4-5 and C6-7 while leaving C5-6 intact., Conclusions: This approach serves to preserve cervical motion, spinal stability, and lordosis across all 3 levels, thus demonstrating that it is a viable alternative to a multilevel anterior cervical interbody fusion., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Study Design: A prospective, randomized multicenter IDE trial between May 2002 and October 2004., Objective: The aim of this study was to report on the 10-year safety and efficacy of BRYAN cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA)., Summary of Background Data: Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is a potential alternative for anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) with the hope that maintenance of motion may decrease the likelihood of adjacent segment disease., Methods: This is an analysis of a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation comparing CDA with ACDF for single-level patients. Eligible patients were ≥ 21 years of age with symptomatic cervical disc disease who had failed conservative care. Patients were followed at regular intervals with the current data set at > 10 years. Protocol for overall success: ≥ 15-point improvement in NDI scores, maintenance or improvement in neurologic status, no serious adverse events related to implant or implant/surgical procedure, and no subsequent surgery or intervention classified as "failure.", Results: At 10-year follow-up, 128 (CDA) and 104 (ACDF) patients were available for evaluation. Overall success rate was significantly higher for CDA group (81.3% vs. 66.3%; P = 0.005). The rate of second surgeries at adjacent levels was lower for CDA group (9.7% vs. 15.8%; P = 0.146). NDI scores improved significantly in CDA group (Δ38.3 vs. Δ31.1; P = 0.010). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) neck and arm improved in the CDA group (Δ54.3 vs. Δ49.2; P = 0.119), (Δ58.1 vs. Δ51.6; P = 0.0.60) respectively. About 4.1% of CDA patients and 4.9% of ACDF patients had serious adverse events related to study device. Mean angular motions at index level for BRYAN disc and ACDF were 8.69° and 0.60°, respectively., Conclusion: CDA can preserve and maintain motion in the long term compared with ACDF. There was a trend toward fewer adjacent segment surgeries for BRYAN disc that did not reach significance. Significant improvement in CDA NDI scores may suggest better long-term success for CDA as compared to fusion., Level of Evidence: 2.

Background: Ten-year follow-up data from the US Food and Drug Administration investigational device exemption trial comparing BRYAN® Cervical Disc (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) arthroplasty to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) demonstrated that disc arthroplasty maintained range of motion and improvements in overall success and neck disability., Objective: To compare the 10-yr rates of symptomatic adjacent level disease requiring surgery (SALDRS)., Methods: Prospective randomized trial data were analyzed comparing BRYAN® Cervical Disc arthroplasty to ACDF for single-level cervical disc disease with concordant radiculopathy or myelopathy with clinicoradiographic analysis at 10 yr. Secondarily, 84-mo data were pooled with PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc arthroplasty (Medtronic) study data to provide overall rates of SALDRS., Results: Significantly greater overall success was maintained at every postoperative interval with an overall success rate of 81.3% with BRYAN® disc and 66.3% with ACDF (P = .005) without loss of motion preservation (8.69° vs 0.60°). Reoperation at adjacent levels up to the 120-mo visit was 9.7% in the arthroplasty group and 15.8% in the ACDF group (P = .146). The combined data from BRYAN® and Prestige ST demonstrate that BRYAN® and Prestige disc groups had a lower rate of second surgeries at the adjacent levels, up to the 84-mo visit, compared to the combined ACDF groups (6.9% vs 11.7%; P = .023)., Conclusion: Compared with ACDF, fewer patients with the BRYAN® disc required surgery for symptomatic adjacent level degeneration, but this did not achieve statistical significance. Analysis of combined study data using Bryan and Prestige discs shows significant differences in SADLRS as early as 7 yr.

We present the case of a delayed pseudoarthrosis resulting from a fracture at the site of a radiographically confirmed anterior cervical fusion following plate removal. In this case, an anterior cervical plate was removed to allow for further surgery at a supra-adjacent level. A modicum of literature exists describing delayed fractures following hardware removal in thoracolumbar fusion constructs. The development of a fracture/pseudoarthrosis following hardware removal at the site of a radiographically confirmed anterior cervical fusion has not been previously reported. We describe the clinical presentation and operative management in the case of this rare and unexpected complication., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The aim of this paper was to present a generalizable group of patients who have undergone resection of spinal nerve sheath tumors and attempt to identify factors that may be predictive of the need for intraoperative fusion., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent excision of spinal nerve sheath tumors performed by the senior author at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center., Results: Out of the 48 cases reviewed in this study, a total of 7 (14.6%) underwent fusion at the same time as decompression and tumor excision. Fusion was deemed necessary in these cases for a number of different reasons, including preexisting scoliosis, cervical instability, preexisting listhesis, and tumor size and/or aggressiveness warranting more extensive bony exposure. Cervical tumors in patients with NF-1 and total facetectomy being performed were both factors found to be predictive of the decision to perform intraoperative fusion with instrumentation (P values of 0.009 and <0.001, respectively). There were seven cases in which partial facetectomies were performed without fusion, none of which later developed instability. Finally, excision of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors was also associated with the decision to perform fusion (P=0.008). The average length of follow‑up was 2 years, 11 months (SEM 8 months)., Conclusions: Most patients can undergo resection of spinal nerve sheath tumors without fusion. Patients with pre‑existing deformity or instability, a history of NF-1 together with the tumor in the cervical region, malignant nerve sheath tumors, or those who undergo a total facet resection may require instrumented spinal fusion during tumor excision. We also observed that removal of one third or even half of a facet joint complex appears to be well tolerated with no instability seen on follow‑up.

To evaluate the safety and feasibility of modest hypothermia as a potential strategy for intraoperative neuroprotection during the removal of intradural spinal tumors. A retrospective review was performed for two groups of patients of a single surgeon who underwent intradural extrameduallary and intramedullary spinal tumor resection of tumors located between cervical level 1 and lumbar 2 over a 10-year period between 2001 and 2010. One cohort received intraoperative moderate hypothermia (33°C) via intravascular catheter cooling during tumor surgery and the second cohort, a historical control group of the same surgeon, underwent surgery at normothermia (≥36°C). The main outcome measured was safety as determined by surgical, medical, and neurological complications. The hypothermia (n=38) and nonhypothermia (n=34) groups were homogenous for patient demographics and baseline comorbidities. There were no differences between the groups regarding tumor level (p=0.51), tumor pathology, or intramedullary versus intradural extramedullary location (p=0.11). The hypothermia group had a lower mean body temperature (33.7°C±0.72 vs. 36.6°C±0.7, p≤0.001) longer postoperative hospital stays (10.8±14.0 vs. 7.3±4.72, p<0.001), but there were no significant differences in operative and perioperative variables such as, total anesthetic time (8.2±2.4 vs. 7.8±2.7 hours, p=0.45), total surgical time (5.9±2.1 vs. 5.7±2.5 hours, p=0.58), or estimated blood loss (483±420 vs. 420±314 mL, p=0.65). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to the rate of surgical (3 vs. 2, p=1.0), medical (4 vs. 3, p=1.0), neurological (3 vs. 4, p=0.7), or overall complications (10 vs. 9, p=1.0). In this study, moderate hypothermia via intravascular cooling catheters was successfully performed during 38 intradural spinal tumor surgeries. Compared to the historical control group, the hypothermia patients had longer hospital stays, but did not have higher complication rates. Intraoperative moderate hypothermia during spinal tumor resection is feasible and appeared safe in this limited cohort; however, further studies with larger cohorts will be needed to determine whether peri-operative hypothermia is an effective neuroprotectant strategy in spinal tumor surgery.

Object: The goal of this study was to compare the rates of solid arthrodesis and complications following multilevel, instrumented anterior cervical fusion in patients treated with and without bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)., Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent multilevel (2+ level) anterior cervical fusions performed for degenerative disc disease with or without the concurrent use of BMP-2 from 1997 to 2012. The dosage throughout the study ranged from 2.1 to 0.26 mg/level (mean 1.0 mg/level). All patients were evaluated postoperatively by means of radiographs and CT scans to determine fusion status., Results: The overall fusion rate for the patients treated without BMP (n = 23) was 82.6% compared with a 100% fusion rate in the group treated with BMP (n = 22) (p = 0.04). The pseudarthrosis rates increased with number of fusion levels in patients who did not receive BMP, whereas all patients in the group treated with BMP had solid arthrodesis. Furthermore, there were 2 instrumentation failures in the non-BMP group. There was a direct correlation between the incidence of complications and the dosage of BMP used per level, with no complications reported at doses equal to or less than 1.1 mg/level., Conclusions: The overall rate of bony arthrodesis was increased following the use of BMP in multilevel anterior cervical fusion. Traditional methods without BMP had a high rate of pseudarthrosis. The complications associated with the use of BMP appeared to be dose related and of low incidence when BMP is used in doses equal to or less than 1.1 mg/level.

Background: Desmoid tumors are rare clinical entities that cause significant morbidity based on their locally aggressive nature. Complete resection with wide margins is the standard of care; however, when arising in the neck, resection is limited due to proximity of the lesion to critical structures., Case Description: We describe a complete resection of a desmoid tumor requiring extensive resection of cervical extensor musculature. We were able to achieve a total resection of a cervical desmoid tumor with no evidence of recurrence at follow-up., Conclusions: Complete resection of desmoid tumors is the standard of care. In this case, we felt that complete resection would lead to iatrogenic instability; therefore, an occiput to thoracic fusion was performed at the time of the resection., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: Several relatively new screw techniques have been described that rigidly capture the posterior elements of C2. The previously described procedures of axis fixation are technically demanding and place the vertebral artery at some risk. A novel and less technically demanding technique of obtaining C-2 translaminar screws has been recently described. Although the risk of vertebral artery injury has been essentially eliminated, the authors recognize that neurologic injury from breakthrough of the inner cortex of the lamina by the drill or screw is still a possibility., Purpose: Describe and illustrate a modified C2 translaminar technique and review the results of patients who have undergone the surgery. The current modification of the C2 translaminar screw technique was designed to reduce the risk of inadvertent screw placement within the spinal canal., Study Design/setting: A techniques paper combined with a retrospective clinical review of patients undergoing the surgery., Patient Sample: Patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion surgery of the cervical spine, which incorporates C2 posterior elements using the translaminar technique., Outcome Measures: Radiographic analysis of the fusion construct incorporating the C2 translaminar screws., Methods: We have modified the previously described technique of C-2 translaminar screw placement with the addition of "exit" cortical windows to assure bicortical, intralaminar screw placement., Results: The results of the first six patients with an average follow-up of 12 months demonstrated this method to be safe and effective in fixating the axis., Conclusions: We have made a simple modification of Wright's elegant technique with the addition of "exit" windows at the facet-laminar junctions. This gives us the assurance that the C2 screw has not entered the spinal canal by directly visualizing the tip of the screw exiting the outer cortices of the lamina before leaving the operating room.

Open-door expansile laminoplasty is a practical surgical technique for the treatment of cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical spinal stenosis. Laminoplasty procedures were first described in the late 1970s and have undergone numerous modifications. The current article reviews the indications, techniques, and outcome data for cervical laminoplasty. Complications of laminoplasty and comparison to laminectomy outcomes are also discussed.

Objective: Lateral mass screw fixation of the subaxial cervical spine has been a major advancement for spinal surgeons. This technique provides excellent three-dimensional fixation from C3 to C7. However, exposure of the dorsal spinal musculature can produce significant postoperative neck pain. The incorporation of a minimal access approach using tubular dilator retractors can potentially overcome the drawbacks associated with the extensive muscle stripping needed for traditional surgical exposures., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the first 18 patients treated using lateral mass screws placed in a minimally invasive fashion. All patients, except 2 who were lost to follow-up, had a 2-year minimum clinical follow-up. All patients had a computed tomography (CT) scan in the immediate postoperative period to check the positioning of implanted hardware. Operative time, blood loss, and complications were ascertained. Fusion was assessed radiographically with dynamic radiographs and CT scans., Results: Sixteen of the 18 patients underwent successful screw placement. Two patients had the minimal access procedure converted to an open surgery because radiographic visualization was not adequate in the lower cervical spine. Six cases involved unilateral instrumentation and 10 had bilateral screws. A total of 39 levels were instrumented. There were no intraoperative complications, and follow-up CT scans demonstrated no bony violations except in cases where bicortical purchase was achieved. All patients achieved bony fusion., Conclusion: A minimally invasive approach using tubular dilator retractors can be a safe and effective means for placing lateral mass screws in the subaxial cervical spine. Up to two levels can be treated in this manner. This approach preserves the integrity of the muscles and ligaments that maintain the posterior tension band of the cervical spine but requires adequate intraoperative imaging.

Objective and Importance: Type III odontoid fractures are generally thought of as unstable fractures that can be successfully treated with an external orthosis. However, there is a rare subtype of Type III odontoid fractures that is similar in the degree of instability to atlanto-occipital dislocation injuries. Not recognizing or not treating this injury urgently and aggressively could lead to devastating iatrogenic neurological injuries such as quadriplegia and fatal lower brainstem palsies., Clinical Presentation: We present the case of a 73-year-old woman with a vertically distracted Type III odontoid fracture and associated quadriparesis and brainstem deficits. The patient was kept in a rigid collar, placed in a kinematic bed, and admitted to the trauma service for the management of her life-threatening systemic injuries. Traction was not applied., Intervention: As soon as the patient was systemically stable, she was taken to the operating room for C1-C2 fixation with a screw-rod construct supplemented by cable and structural iliac crest bone graft., Conclusion: Delayed recognition of this subtype of Type III odontoid fracture could have fatal or highly morbid consequences, such as quadriparesis/-plegia, lower brainstem dysfunction, and ventilator-dependence, for the patient. It is important to keep a high level of suspicion for this unusual subtype of Type III odontoid fracture.

Study Design: A retrospective study was undertaken which evaluated the medical records and imaging studies of a subset of patients managed by the spine service at Jackson Memorial Hospital who were diagnosed with an esophageal perforation in the setting of spinal surgery., Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of a sternocleidomastoid muscle flap in the repair of esophageal perforation in the setting of anterior cervical spine surgery., Summary of Background Data: The management of an esophageal fistula in the setting of spine surgery is challenging and starts with a prompt and accurate diagnosis. In addition to broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics, several methods have been described to repair the fistula, which range from enteral tube feeding, direct repair, and/or repair with a local or free muscle flap., Methods: The review encompassed medical records, discharge summaries, operative reports, and imaging studies. Data were gathered with specific attention to demographics, primary pathology, mechanism of esophageal injury, method of spinal stabilization, method of esophageal repair, and time to initiation of oral intake. Follow-up interviews were conducted either in-person or by telephone., Results: Six patients were treated over the study period. There were 3 men and 3 women. The mean age was 52.8 years. Primary pathologies were penetrating trauma, blunt trauma (2 cases), degenerative disease (2 cases), and tumor. Mechanisms of esophageal injury were penetrating trauma, acute iatrogenic, chronic iatrogenic (3 cases), and intubation trauma. The time to diagnosis ranged from immediate to 10 months. The method of spinal stabilization was anterior autograft followed by posterior instrumentation in 4 of 6 patients. The method of esophageal repair was an inferiorly based sternocleidomastoid (SCM) flap in 4 cases, primary repair in 1 case, and esophageal diversion alone in 1 case. The time to oral intake averaged 59.2 days (range, 23-113 days) in those with a SCM flap versus 153.5 days (range, 119-188 days) in those treated without a flap., Conclusion: The use of an SCM flap for the repair of esophageal injury, in the setting of anterior cervical spine surgery, is a safe and effective tool. An SCM flap appeared to improve the time in initiating oral intake without any significant morbidity.

Background: Open-door expansile cervical laminoplasty (ODECL) is an effective surgical technique in the treatment of multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy. In the present study, we reviewed the safety and short-term neurological outcome after expansile cervical laminoplasty in the treatment of acute central cord syndrome., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our database over a 3-year period (January 1997-January 2001) and identified 69 surgically treated cervical spinal cord injuries, including 29 cases of acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS). Fifteen of these patients underwent expansile cervical laminoplasty, whereas 14 did not because of radiographic evidence of sagittal instability. We collected data on the preoperative and the immediate postoperative and 3-month neurological examinations. Neurological function was assessed using the Asia Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading system. We also reviewed the occurrence of complications and short-term radiological stability after the index procedure., Results: The median age was 56 years. All patients had hyperextension injuries with underlying cervical spondylosis and stenosis in the absence of overt fracture or instability. The average delay from injury to surgery was 3 days. The preoperative ASIA grade scale was grade C, 8 patients, and grade D, 7 patients. There were no cases of immediate postoperative deterioration or at 3 months follow-up. Neurological outcome: 71.4% (10/14) of patients improved 1 ASIA grade when examined 3 months post injury., Conclusions: Surgical intervention consisting of ODECL can be safely applied in the subset of patients with ATCCS without instability who have significant cervical spondylosis/stenosis. Open-door expansile cervical laminoplasty is a safe, low-morbidity, decompressive procedure, and in our patients did not produce neurological deterioration.

Objective and Importance: Adjacent segment disc disease is a well-described phenomenon that occurs after anterior cervical spinal fusion. One of the advantages of cervical laminoplasty over anterior approaches is that although the treated segments are stiffened, no formal fusion is performed. This is thought to reduce the biomechanical stresses placed on adjacent levels and thus decrease the likelihood of adjacent level degeneration., Clinical Presentation: A 62-year-old man presented with myelopathy attributable to cervical spondylosis and underwent a C3-C7 laminoplasty. Improvements in gait were followed 2 years later by symptomatic disc degeneration and spinal cord compression at T1-T2, which rendered him wheelchair bound., Intervention: The patient was treated with a laminectomy at the level of stenosis accompanied by posterior instrumentation and fusion from C5 to T3. This resulted in clinical improvement, and the patient was returned to his baseline ambulatory status., Conclusion: Adjacent segment disease is an uncommon complication that occurs after laminoplasty. Careful attention to preserving facet joint motion in the cervical spine may minimize the stresses placed on adjacent motion segments.

Objective: Expansile laminoplasty has been successfully used to treat cervical myelopathy attributable to canal stenosis. However, detachment of the posterior cervical muscles is thought to contribute to postoperative axial neck pain and kyphosis. Minimizing the amount of muscular dissection might reduce the likelihood of these sequelae., Methods: Six human cadaveric spines were used to assess the feasibility of a minimally invasive laminoplasty technique. A 22-mm tubular dilator port was used to access the lamina-facet junctions from C2 to C7, through bilateral stab incisions at C4-C5 and C5-C6. Troughs at the lamina-facet junctions were drilled bilaterally, and the contiguous laminae were lifted en bloc from one side. Ten-millimeter rib allograft spacers were inserted to maintain a gap on the open side., Results: Exposure of six cervical levels was easily accomplished with two small incisions on each side. Drilling was achieved without dural violations. The midsagittal spinal canal diameter was increased by a mean of 38% and the spinal canal area was increased by an average of 43% at the level of C5., Conclusion: A minimally invasive approach for cervical laminoplasty could be performed in human cadavers. The measured increases in spinal canal space approximated those demonstrated to be associated with stabilization or improvement of neurological status.

Objective: The technique of lateral mass screw and rod or plate fixation is a major advancement in the posterior instrumentation of the cervical spine. This technique provides rigid three-dimensional fixation, restores the dorsal tension band, and provides highly effective stabilization in patients with many types of traumatic injuries., Methods: Patient 1 was a 32-year-old man who had been in a motor vehicle accident. He presented with right C5 radiculopathy. X-ray findings included 45% anterolisthesis of C4 on C5, bilateral facet disruption, and right unilateral C4-C5 facet fracture and dislocation. The patient was placed in Gardner-Wells tongs, and the fracture was reduced with 25 pounds of traction. Patient 2 was a 56-year-old woman who had been in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in complete quadriplegia. Her initial imaging studies revealed a C3-C4 right unilateral facet fracture with subluxation. She was placed in traction, and her neurological status was reassessed. The findings of her neurological examination revealed improvement: she was found to have Brown-Séquard syndrome. Patient 3 was a 33-year-old man who was involved in a diving accident that resulted in bilaterally jumped facets at C3-C4. The patient was neurologically intact, and attempts at closed reduction were not successful., Results: Patients 1 and 2 underwent anterior cervical discectomy with iliac crest autograft fusion and plating. They were then placed in the prone position, and a dilator tubular retractor system was used to access the facet joint at the level of interest. The facet joints were then denuded and packed with autograft. Lateral mass screws were then placed by means of the Magerl technique, and a rod was used to connect the top-loading screws. Patient 3 underwent posterior surgery that included only removal of the superior facet, intraoperative reduction, and bilateral lateral mass screw and rod placement., Conclusion: This technical note describes the successful placement of lateral mass screw and rod constructs with the use of a minimally invasive approach by means of a tubular dilator retractor system. This approach preserves the integrity of the muscles and ligaments that maintain the posterior tension band of the cervical spine.

Occipital neuralgia is a result of neuropathic pain transmission in the distribution of the greater occipital nerve. Because it is well anatomically localized, occipital neuralgia has been the focus of various surgical treatments. Ablation, decompression, and modulation of the C-2 nerve have all been described as effective treatments. The C-2 dorsal root ganglionectomy provides effective treatment for this disorder with a low incidence of unpleasant side effects. In this review the authors summarize the current treatment of occipital neuralgia.

Objective: High body mass index is a well-established modifiable comorbidity that is known to increase postoperative complications in all types of surgery, including spine surgery. Obesity is increasing in prevalence amongst the general population. As this growing population of obese patients ages, understanding how they faire undergoing cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is important for providing safe and effective evidence-based care for cervical degenerative pathology. Methods: Our study used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample to assess patients undergoing CDA comparing patient characteristics and outcomes in nonobese patients to obese patients from 2004 to 2014. Results: Our study found a significant increase in the overall utilization of CDA as a treatment modality (p = 0.012) and a statistically significant increase in obese patients undergoing CDA (p < 0.0001) from 2004 to 2014. Obesity was identified as an independent risk factor associated with increased rates of inpatient neurologic complications (odds ratio [OR], 6.99; p = 0.03), pulmonary embolus (OR, 5.41; p = 0.05), and wound infection (OR, 6.97; p < 0.001) in patients undergoing CDA from 2004 to 2014. Conclusion: In patients undergoing CDA, from 2004 to 2014, obesity was identified as an independent risk factor with significantly increased rates of inpatient neurologic complications, pulmonary embolus and wound infection. Large prospective trials are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) has been advocated as an alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with the added potential to reduce the risk of adjacent level disc degeneration and segmental instability. However, the long-term adverse events of arthroplasty have yet to be fully reported.Purpose: To investigate the 10-year follow-up adverse events rates between CDA and ACDF.Study Design/setting: The study was a randomized, prospective, multicenter Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial and its continued follow-up as a postapproval study (PAS). Single level surgeries were performed for cervical disc pathologies between May 2002 and October 2004.Patient Sample: n=463 patients.Outcome Measures: Adverse events comparison of CDA and ACDF from self-reported and physiologic measures.Methods: At each evaluation time point, subjects were queried for adverse events since their last visit; and all adverse events were documented, regardless of whether or not they appeared related to the surgery or device. Adverse events were recorded, categorized, and assessed for severity and relationship to the study device and/or surgical procedure. The 10-year cumulative rates for each type of adverse events were summarized using a life-table method for the time-to-event analysis. A log-rank test was used to compare the two treatment groups.Results: A total of 242 patients received CDA and 221 patients received ACDF. At 10-year follow-up, 54% (130/242) of CDA patients and 47% (104/221) of the ACDF subjects were evaluated. At up to 10-year follow-up, 231 patients in the CDA group (cumulative rate 98.4%) and 199 patients in the ACDF group (cumulative rate 98.7%) had at least one adverse event. Overall, the difference in the cumulative rate of all adverse events over 10 years was not statistically different (p=0.166). The cumulative rates of the following adverse events were not different between the two groups for cancer, cardiovascular, death, dysphonia/dysphagia, gastrointestinal, infection, urogenital, respiratory, implant displacement/loosening, implant malposition, neck and arm pain, neurological, other pain, spinal events, and intraoperative vascular injury. However, there were more adverse events in the CDA group resulting from trauma (p=.012) and more spinal events at the index level (p=.006). The ACDF group had significantly more nonunion events (p=.019), and nonunion outcome pending (p=.034), adjacent level spinal events (p=.033), and events that fell into the "other" category (p=.015).Conclusions: The cumulative rates of patients who had any adverse events were not different between the artificial cervical disc and the anterior cervical arthrodesis groups. In addition, the cumulative rates were not different between the two groups for the majority of categories as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]