Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Nonunions and implant failures of the cervical spine indicate a failure to stabilize the spine biomechanically. The most difficult failures to reconstruct are multilevel corpectomy procedures. The assessment and reconstructive methods that are needed are discussed…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Adjacent level disease is a relatively frequent clinical finding in cervical spine surgery. An overall rate of approximately 3% per year can be expected in patients who have undergone cervical surgical procedures. Whenever possible, nonoperative treatment…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Wound complications, namely infection and dehiscence, are some of the most common adverse events following spinal surgical procedures. These complications can incur substantial morbidity and financial burden. Risk factor modification and prevention represent a burgeoning paradigm.…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Dural tear is not uncommon in cervical spine surgery, and the incidence varies depending on the disorder addressed and the procedure performed. Because the potential complications associated with a persistent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak can be…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The anterior approach to the cervical spine has gained worldwide acceptance by spine surgeons to address a variety of pathologic conditions of the cervical spine. Injuries to the trachea and esophagus are rare, but they can…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Nerve injuries and spinal cord injuries following cervical spine surgery can be devastating to the patient, family, and surgeon, but with adequate counseling preoperatively and appropriate management postoperatively, the impact can be lessened. Surgical technique can…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Vertebral artery injury during cervical spine surgery is a rare but devastating complication. The vertebral artery is most susceptible to injury anteriorly at C7, laterally from C3 to C7, and posteriorly at C1 and C2. A…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The current gold standard for treatment of disk degeneration is spinal fusion. Although effective in controlling pain, spinal fusion leads to restricted spinal motion and potentially to adjacent level degeneration. The goal of management should be…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Biologics in cervical spine surgery include demineralized bone matrix (DBM), ceramics, allografts containing mesenchymal stem cells, and growth factors. Each of these biologics has different characteristics and different degrees of osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, and ostegenicity. This chapter…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Neck and low back pain is common, and intervertebral disk degeneration is thought to be one of the primary sources for pain generation. Although therapeutic techniques including surgical and non-surgical modalities have been applied, current therapies…