Cervical corpectomy for sub-axial retro-vertebral body lesions

Abstract Background The sub-axial vertebrae are formed of body, pedicles, laminae, facets, and spinous process. Cervical cord compression by anteriorly located retro-vertebral traumatic, inflammatory, neoplastic, and degenerative lesions is not rare, and in such cases, simple discectomy does not solve the problem. Corpectomy, grafting, and plating may help in management of these dangerous lesions. Methods From May 2014 to December 2016, 30 cases with cervical myelopathy due to anteriorly located retro-vertebral traumatic, inflammatory, neoplastic, and degenerative lesions were operated upon by single, double, or triple levels corpectomy, grafting by bone graft or corpectomy cage and plating. Patients were followed up for 1 to 3 years both clinically and radiologically. Results Improvement of myelopathic manifestations (partial or complete) occurred in all cases within a variable time from 3 to 15 months. Bony fusion was sound in 27 cases and poor in 3 cases. Post-operative complications were mild and reversible. Conclusions Corpectomy, grafting, and plating give a very good decompressive chance to the compressed cord by retro-vertebral lesions without any added risk