gms | German Medical Science

55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

25. bis 28.04.2004, Köln

Article

Send article

Results of posterior foraminotomy and anterior discectomy with PMMA fusion for 361 patients with cervical radiculopathy

Ergebnisse nach posteriorer Foraminotomie und anteriorer Diskektomie mit PMMA-Fusion bei 361 Patienten mit zervikaler Radikulopathie

Meeting Abstract

Search Medline for

  • corresponding author Marcus Christopher Korinth - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen
  • A. Krüger - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen
  • M. F. Oertel - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen
  • J. M. Gilsbach - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Aachen

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Ungarische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Köln, 25.-28.04.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. DocMO.13.04

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2004/04dgnc0128.shtml

Published: April 23, 2004

© 2004 Korinth et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

Cervical disc disease can lead to morphologic different disc lesions, which again may differ in clinical presentation, operative treatment and outcome. Considering the current literature engaged with this topic, there is still no consensus as to which is the ideal approach, and best operative management in each constellation.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed all patients which were treated operatively for single-level cervical disc disease in our institution between 1993 and 2000 and excluded those patients with myelopathy, traumatic or recurrent discopathy. Of the remaining patients with pure radiculopathy, which were either treated with anterior microdiscectomy and PMMA fusion (Group A/ 182 patients) or foraminotomy (Group B/ 179 patients), the charts and neuroradiological findings were analysed and the outcome was evaluated via questionnaire.

Results

Follow-up was possible in 361 patients (80.4%), the observation time ranged from 3-10 years (mean, 4.6 years). The mean age of the 212 male and 149 female patients was 47.5 years (range, 26-78 years). Mean preoperative duration of symptoms was 7.8 months (A) and 3.6 months (B), with existence of motor deficits in 58.2% (A) and 68.7% (B). Pure soft discs were found in 33% (A) and 82.7% (B), pure hard discs in 31.9% (A) and 6.1% (B), whereas a combination of hard and soft disc was found in 35.1% (A) and 11.2% (B). Of all 361 patients, 50.6% of group A and 59.1% of group B were without any symptoms with excellent outcome, 37.4% of group A and 26.3% of group B had good outcome, and 9.3% in group A as well as 7.3% in group B had fair outcome. Poor outcome, making reoperation necessary, was seen in 2.7% (A) and 7.3% (B).

Conclusions

Although different in various basic properties, both procedures were successful for treatment of cervical radiculopathy caused by monosegmental cervical disc disease. Both methods are safe and reliable, with few complications and comparable outcome, but each indication has still to be done individually under consideration of symptoms, radiological findings and the patients' needs.