Considerations of Surgical Curvature in Planning Surgery for Cervical Spondylosis

Abstract

Cervical spondylosis frequently is associated with alterations in cervical spine curvature deviating from the normal lordotic curve. Since the aim of surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy is to eliminate contact between osteophytic spurs or bone and the spinal cord, consideration of the type of abnormal spine curvature is of paramount importance. Laminectomy will result in decompression only when the lordotic curve is preserved, while a straightened or kyphotic spine can best be decompressed by an anterior approach. Laminectomy offers the advantage of not eliminating motion segments, and a combination of posterior and anterior procedures may offer some patients surgical therapy which limits the number of segments fused, yet decompresses the spinal cord adequately.