Surgical options for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is a disease of the cervical spinal cord that results from circumferential compression of the degenerative cervical spine, often in a congenitally narrow spinal canal. Surgical recommendations must be based on patient characteristics, symptoms, function, and neuroradiologic findings. ACDF is an excellent option for one- or two-level spondylosis without retrovertebral disease. Anterior corpectomy and strut grafting may provide an improved decompression and is ideal for patients with kyphosis or neck pain. Laminectomy historically yields poor results from late deformity and late neurologic deterioration but yields improved results with good surgical technique. Laminoplasty was developed to address cervical stenosis of three or more segments and compares favorable with anterior corpectomy and fusion for neurologic recovery. Laminoplasty has a lower complication rate than corpectomy and strut grafting but has a higher incidence of postoperative axial symptoms.