Anterior fusion for cervical spondylosis

Anterior fusion was performed on 138 patients as treatment for degenerative changes of the cervical vertebral column. The results were checked after up to 11 years in 122 patients and were found to be good in 55%, fair in 3895% and poor in 6.5%. There were complications of phonetic paralysis in one case, Horner syndrome in two cases, 2 wound infections, and complaints about the iliac crest in 3 patients. Kyphosis at the fused segment occurred 26.1% of cases, the average angle being 15.3 degrees, but it did not influence the clinical results. Mortality was 2%. Inadequate visualization of the nerve roots at operation was probably the reason for the segmental deficits and suggestions were made to avoid this by EMG, microsurgical technic, uncusectomy and hemifacetectomy. The results in the presence of myelopathy were much poorer, presumably because of associated degenerative changes in the older patients.