CORPECTOMY FOR MULTILEVEL CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS AND OSSIFICATION OF THE POSTERIOR LONGITUDINAL LIGAMENT

The choice of a surgical approach for multi-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligam ent (OPLL) is still a controversial issue. While most of the surgeons are still performing decompression by laminectomy, some are doing mult i-level anterior decompression. Few neurosurgeons are performing decom pression by corpectomy We have treated 26 patients by median cervical corpectomy during the last 4 years. These patients were followed up fo r a mean period of 25 months. Twenty one (80%) patients had a good out come, 2 patients remained unchanged and 3 expired. Review of the liter ature and our experience indicates that patients with CSM and OPLL sho uld be operated by median cervical corpectomy (anterior approach).