Safety and Efficacy of Skipping C7 Instrumentation in Posterior Cervicothoracic Fusion.

Objective: To analyze the safety and efficacy of skipping instrumentation at the C7 vertebra during posterior cervicothoracic fusions.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of 53 patients who underwent multilevel posterior cervical fusion between 2010 and 2015. Of 53 patients, 7 patients were instrumented at C7, serving as the control group, whereas the remaining 46 patients were not.