[Cervical disk defects. Results of surgical treatment of cervical vertebral radiculopathy]

The article presents a retrospective study of a series of 213 patients treated for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy by anterior surgery. The follow-up period ranged from 2-8 years. The overall functional outcome of surgery showed a rate of improvement of 91.5% at late follow-up. In 8.5% of the patients there was no change, and none considered themselves as being worse than before surgery. The various selective symptoms and signs were analyzed. Improvement of root pain was obtained in 93.4% of the patients, of sensory deficits in 90.7% and of motor deficits in 81.8%. The rate of improvement for neck pain was 44.6%. In this series, mortality was zero and there was no peroperative neurological deterioration. 3.3% of the patients were re-operated at the previous level. A second operation at another level or levels was necessary in 5.2% of the patients. Early surgical treatment, and possibly the degree of neurological deficits, were the only factors found to influence overall functional recovery. In contrast to the overall results, and in spite of large individual variations, neither sensory nor motor deficits, nor root pain, were statistically influenced by degree of root deficits or duration of symptoms.