Craniovertebral Junction Transoral Approach: Predictive Factors of Complications

The transoral approach provides the most direct exposure to extradural lesions of the ventral craniovertebral junction. The morbidity and mortality from this approach greatly limits its use because they are still feared and debated. Using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses, this study aims to identify the factors associated with short-term complications in patients undergoing the transoral approach.

A consecutive cohort analysis of prospectively collected data in several neurosurgery spine departments evaluated 143 consecutive patients who had undergone craniovertebral junction transoral approach surgery. The mean age at the time of surgery was 45.1 ± 19.1 years. The study analyzed the comorbidities, the operative procedure, and postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Seventeen patients (11.9%) had a postoperative complication in the first month. In our univariable analysis: age, smoking, tumor etiology, preoperative posterior fixation, posterior bone graft, preoperative external lumbar shunt, and the transoral approach pathway were significantly associated with postoperative mortality and morbidity. In our multivariable analyses, preoperative external lumbar shunt was significantly associated with complication risks (odds ratio [OR] 6.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-21.7, P < 0.001), whereas preoperative posterior fixation (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.08-1.1, P < 0.04) and posterior bone graft (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.6, P < 0.008) were significantly associated with lower complication risks.

To reduce complications, it is essential to be aware of and to manage these preoperative risk factors. In such manner, we insinuate that postoperative complications depend on the surgeon's familiarity with the transoral approach.