J Minim Invasive Spine Surg Tech.  2016 Sep;1(1):53-56. 10.21182/jmisst.2016.00108.

Transcorporeal Selective Decompression without Fusion for Midline-located Cervical Disc Pathology

• Lee JH

• KMID: 2562017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21182/jmisst.2016.00108

Abstract

The previous reports on the outcome after anterior cervical discectomy without fusion varies among the institutes. However, after careful selection of the patients with isolated cervical soft disc herniation or focal osteophyte formation without instability, subluxation, malalignment, or loss of normal cervical lordosis, the number of the patients that required a delayed fusion procedure could be reduced to less than 1.5%. With these promising results from the literature, the authors have pursued direct removal of disc space pathology through transcorporeal route from the subjects that have met those selection criteria, leaving the majority of the anterior and central disc, anterior longitudinal ligament, and both upper and lower vertebral endplates intact. This selective removal procedure might exclude the fusion surgery –related complications while deterring the development of subsequent instability. Moreover, since it includes an ‘oblique’ drilling procedure, this might also give a more free access to the region such as high cervical or cervico-thoracic junction.

Keyword

Transcorporeal; Midline cervical disc; Selective decompression