Functional Outcome After Surgery for Cervical Disc Prolapse

Plain-language summary

Cervical disc herniation (CDH) is the result of the displacement of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc, which may result in impingement of the traversing nerves as they exit the neural foramen or directly compressing the spinal cord contained within the spinal canal.\[1\] Eventually symptoms may arise because of a CDH with compression of the rootlet or spinal cord.\[2\] When conservative treatment for CDH fails, surgical treatment may be considered.\[3\] The main goals of surgical treatment are to remove pressure from the nerves, restore the alignment of the vertebrae, to stabilize the spine \[3\] and to prevent progression of neurological deficit in case of myelopathy.\[4\] Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has proven to be an effective surgical intervention for both cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy and has become standard treatment for both of these disease states over the last half century.\[5\] Certain reports have indicated that various complications are associated with ACDF namely, incomplete decompression, recurrence of myelopathy due to adjacent segment degeneration.\[6\] In cases where the stenosis is extensive, or attributed in part to congenital stenosis, the posterior approach may be advantageous to achieve more extensive decompression that would otherwise not be possible through an anterior approach.\[7\] Given that most stenosis occurs from anterior pathology, a posterior decompression works to indirectly relieve pressure on the spinal cord.\[8\] Misalignment and large anterior compression of the spinal cord can be risk factors for insufficient functional recovery in patients treated with posterior decompression alone.\[9\] In this study we will perform ACDF for patients with CDH occupying less than 50% of cervical canal and combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF for patients with CDH occupying 50% or more of the cervical canal with canal stenosis.Cervical disc herniation (CDH) is the result of the displacement of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc, which may result in impingement of the traversing nerves as they exit the neural foramen or directly compressing the spinal cord contained within the spinal canal.\[1\] Eventually symptoms may arise because of a CDH with compression of the rootlet or spinal cord.\[2\] When conservative treatment for CDH fails, surgical treatment may be considered.\[3\] The main goals of surgical treatment are to remove pressure from the nerves, restore the alignment of the vertebrae, to stabilize the spine \[3\] and to prevent progression of neurological deficit in case of myelopathy.\[4\] Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has proven to be an effective surgical intervention for both cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy and has become standard treatment for both of these disease states over the last half century.\[5\] Certain reports have indicated that various complications are associated with ACDF namely, incomplete decompression, recurrence of myelopathy due to adjacent segment degeneration.\[6\] In cases where the stenosis is extensive, or attributed in part to congenital stenosis, the posterior approach may be advantageous to achieve more extensive decompression that would otherwise not be possible through an anterior approach.\[7\] Given that most stenosis occurs from anterior pathology, a posterior decompression works to indirectly relieve pressure on the spinal cord.\[8\] Misalignment and large anterior compression of the spinal cord can be risk factors for insufficient functional recovery in patients treated with posterior decompression alone.\[9\] In this study we will perform ACDF for patients with CDH occupying less than 50% of cervical canal and combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF for patients with CDH occupying 50% or more of the cervical canal with canal stenosis. the aim of the study to Assessment of the functional outcome after surgery for cervical disc prolapse

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