Cervicothoracic junction arthroplasty after previous fusion surgery for adjacent segment degeneration: case report

This is the first reported case of cervical arthroplasty using the Bryan Cervical Disc Prosthesis System (Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc., Memphis, TN) in the management of adjacent segment degeneration associated with previous fusion surgery and surgery at the cervicothoracic junction.

This case report describes a 25-year-old woman who initially underwent a two-level anterior cervical fusion in 1998, 2 years after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. She was well until 18 months before presentation, when she developed bilateral shoulder pain, mechanical neck pain worse on flexion, and bilateral C8 distribution arm pain and paresthesia. On clinical examination, no focal deficits were found, although the range of motion was reduced. Preoperative cervical spine x-rays and magnetic resonance scanning confirmed accelerated degeneration of the C4-C5 and C7-T1 disc spaces, with evidence of neural compression at those levels.

After careful consideration of various treatment options and failure of all conservative measures, the patient underwent an anterior C4-C5 and C7-T1 decompression with removal of the anterior cervical plate and placement of two artificial disc prostheses. After surgery, her course was uncomplicated and she was discharged from hospital well. There was complete resolution of the arm symptoms and reduction of the neck pain, with a reduction in the amount of analgesia she was taking. Seven months after surgery, she remains well with repeat x-rays confirming motion at the operated levels.

This case demonstrates that cervical arthroplasty is a reasonable treatment option for patients who have had previous surgery in which interbody fusion has been performed and who have developed degeneration of adjacent levels. Despite the altered biomechanics at the cervicothoracic junction, no adverse features were noted with arthroplasty at this level.