Abstract
Study Design:: Retrospective descriptive study of an innovative surgical technique. Objective:: To assess the feasibility of using a large C2 spinous process as a vascularized bone graft donor with muscles attached to it in C1-C2 posterior fusion with evaluation of post operative fusion and pain in these cases. Summary of Background Data:: C1-C2 posterior fusion essentially requires a bone graft and for this a separate incision is needed at the donor site with its associated morbidity. The procedure also entails detachment of muscles attached to the C2 spinous process. Due to the detachment of these muscles with important functions, postoperative nuchal pain is common in these patients. We developed a novel technique of harvesting the vascularized C2 spinous process as a bone graft to minimize the above-mentioned complications. Materials and Methods:: Five patients with atlanto-axial dislocation due to various pathologies underwent C1-C2 posterior arthrodesis with the present technique. They were followed up for 6 to 18 months and were evaluated for feasibility of procedure, post operative fusion and post operative complications, especially pain. Results:: The procedure was accomplished successfully in all patients without any perioperative complications. All patients were pain free 3 months after surgerymean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was 0.4. Fusion (confirmed by plain radiography in three and by CT scan in two patients) was achieved in all five patients (100%). Conclusion:: Myoarchitectonic advancement of C2 spinous process is a novel technique of C1-C2 posterior fusion in which a local vascularized bone graft is used avoiding donor site morbidity and at the same time preservation of dynamic function of muscles attached reduces the post operative pain.
Copyright
Association for Helping Neurosurgical Sick People. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Derivative-Non Commercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit.
Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License, which permits unrestricted reproduction and distribution, for non-commercial purposes only; and use and reproduction, but not distribution, of adapted material for non-commercial purposes only, provided the original work is properly cited.
