Functional Outcome After Combined Posterior Laminectomy and Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Large Cervical Disc Prolapse

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 a study of 428 patients that were enrolled in a prospective cohort study to investigate the incidence, etiology, and outcomes of patients who experience neurological deterioration after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy(DCM), Evaniew et al[10] reported the incidence of deterioration after surgery for DCM was approximately one in ten (12%).

In this study we will perform combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF to avoid incomplete decompression and neurological deterioration after surgery. We aim to assess the functional outcome after combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF in patients with large cervical disc prolapse.

In this study we will perform combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF to avoid incomplete decompression and neurological deterioration after surgery. We aim to assess the functional outcome after combined posterior laminectomy and ACDF in patients with large cervical disc prolapse.