Median corpectomy in cervical spondylotic multisegmental stenosis.

Cervical median corpectomy as an alternative to laminoplasty and laminectomy has been suggested as an effective treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) in cases of multisegmental spondylotic stenosis. We report on our experience with this procedure with particular reference to neurological outcome and complications. Median corpectomy was performed in 17 cases (3 female, 14 male; mean age 59 yrs, (41-80 yrs.) with cervical myelopathy (CM) and radiologically diagnosed multisegmental spondylotic stenosis and spinal cord compression seen on MRI. The degree of stenosis was determined by means of the modified Pavlov's index (ratio between spinal canal width at the level of the intervertebral disc and the diameter of the vertebral body itself). 3/17 patients suffered from acute, 4/17 from subacute and 10/17 from chronic CM. Single level corpectomy was performed in 9 cases, one and a half vertebrae were removed in 2 cases and dual level corpectomy was performed in the remaining 6 cases. All patients received an autologous bone graft and AO - anterior plate stabilization or were stabilized as described by Morscher. Postoperative follow - up was possible in 16/17 cases over a mean time of 13.5 months. Myelopathy was graded according to Nurick's scale. Postoperatively, 12% with chronic CM improved by two grades, 38% (2 pts, with acute, 3 with subacute and 1 with chronic CM) improved by one grade. The other patients remained stable, none showed worsening of their myelopathy. Paresis improved in 92%, sensory deficits in 69%, spasticity in 73%, pain in 60%, and vegetative disturbances in 100% of all patients presenting these preoperative symptoms respectively. One patient died due to esophageal perforation and subsequent lethal mediastinitis caused by screw loosening 4 months following surgery and after initial neurological improvement. 4 other patients experienced screw loosening, three with acataposis, one remained clinically asymptomatic with concomitant graft displacement in two of these. One patient had to be re-operated due to a hematoma at the iliac crest and 2 suffered from a pelvic fracture of the spina iliaca at the site of graft removal. With respect to the neurological improvement, especially to the motor function and spasticity, median corpectomy can be regarded as an effective procedure in selected cases with cervical myelopathy, even when treatment related complications are taken into consideration.