Patient Selection 28.1.1 Indications The lateral extracavitary approach provides the greatest extent of circumferential spinal cord exposure possible using a posterior approach. This is accomplished by way of a midline incision;…
Spinal vascular malformations (SVMs), including arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), are complex and challenging to treat. Advances in microsurgery, endovascular techniques, and neuroimaging have enhanced our ability to…
Posterior cervical foraminotomy, with or without diskectomy, is a well described and minimally incisional procedure that is effective for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy owing to foraminal stenosis or a…
Degenerative disease of the cervical spine can cause compression of neural elements through disk herniation, ligament and facet joint hypertrophy, and the formation of vertebral body end plate osteophytes. A…
The treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures continues to evolve with technological advances. The goals of surgical management, however, remain unchanged: decompression, realignment, and stabilization with a minimum number of motion…
In the past, total laminectomy without fusion was the standard method of decompression in cases of multilevel compressive myelopathy in the cervical spine. 1, 2, 3 It has been shown,…
Anterior approach to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) was initially explored in Germany in 1935, but pathology at this location has been known for centuries. 1, 2 Numerous conditions warrant at…
Patient Selection Lateral mass instrumentation remains a fundamental technique in the posterior stabilization of the cervical spine. The efficacy of this method of fixation is dependent on patient pathology, anatomy,…
Minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) has undergone a renaissance over the past decade. Although current adoption has been limited to less than 10% because of its technical difficulty and learning…
In an effort to provide immediate postoperative stability to the anterior cervical spine in the context of cervical trauma, Böhler and Gaudernak described instrumented fixation of the cervical spine using…
