Overview Disorders of the cervical spine can cause radiculopathy, myelopathy, or both. Compression of the neural elements occurs most commonly as a result of disk herniation and/or osteophyte formation but…
Overview Over the past decade, minimally invasive treatment of spinal disorders has become feasible with the application of percutaneous technologies. These percutaneous approaches to spinal problems have the merits of…
Overview A variety of techniques have been developed to internally stabilize the subaxial cervical spine using a posterior approach. These include interspinous wiring with bone grafts, interlaminar clamps, hook plates,…
Overview Pathologic processes that may involve the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) include rheumatoid arthritis (RA), infection, trauma, tumor, Down syndrome and other congenital anomalies, osteoarthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, achondroplasia, and iatrogenic instability….
Overview Cervical spondylosis and disk degeneration can lead to radiculopathy and myelopathy from progressive foraminal or central stenosis. A 14 year epidemiologic study from Rochester, Minnesota, found the incidence of…
Overview Odontoid fractures account for 5% to 15% of all cervical spine injuries and are seen more frequently in elderly patients. The Anderson and D’Alonzo system for odontoid fractures is…
Overview Fractures of the atlas and axis are often seen in the setting of trauma to the craniocervical junction (CCJ). Injuries to these vertebrae can induce instability and result in…
Overview The optimal surgical treatment of degenerative cervical spine disease that involves radiculopathy and/or myelopathy would be direct surgical removal of compressive pathology while preserving segmental motion. To achieve these…
Overview Occipitocervical (OC) instability affects a number of patients every year and is associated with significant morbidity. It is due to the lack of firm articulation between the occipital bone…
Overview Surgical access to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) is challenging because of its deep, anatomically protected location and the diverse pathology involved in this region. Examples of lesions that involve…
