The management of vertebral artery injury in anterior cervical spine operation: a systematic review of published cases.

Purpose: Anterior cervical spine operations (ACSO) are generally considered to be safe and effective, but the vertebral artery (VA) is at risk during the procedure. Because the consequences of VA injury can be catastrophic, properly managing a VA injury is very important. However, due to the rarity of these injuries, there is no agreed upon treatment strategy.

Endoscopic management of cranial arachnoid cysts using extra-channel method.

Objective: Arachnoid cysts (ACs) can be cured by making the definite and wide communication between the cyst and arachnoid space using endoscopy, but often it is impossible only through the usual working-channel (intra-channel) procedures. We discuss and propose a more valuable endoscopic technique with the presentation of our series of cases.

Methods: We treated 9 patients with cortical AC in various locations with extra-channel endoscopic techniques.

Endoscopic endonasal approach to the pterygopalatine fossa: anatomic study.

Objective: The pterygopalatine fossa is a relatively small anatomic region. Because of its rich vasculonervous contents and its connections with several intracranial and extracranial compartments, it is of particular surgical interest. Because of its deep localization and despite its small size, however, it can require extensive anatomic approaches, especially for invasive cranial base lesions.

Anterior cervical microforaminotomy for spondylotic cervical myelopathy: part 2.

Objective: Anterior microforaminotomy for spondylotic cervical myelopathy is reported with surgical results.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed for 40 patients with spondylotic cervical myelopathy who had been surgically treated with anterior microforaminotomy at the University of Pittsburgh between April 1994 and June 1999. Age ranged from 32 to 74 years (median, 51 yr).

Anterior microforaminotomy for treatment of cervical radiculopathy: part 1--disc-preserving "functional cervical disc surgery".

Objective: Anterior cervical microforaminotomy was developed by the senior author (H-DJ) under the concept of "functional spine surgery which directly eliminates compressive pathological factors while preserving functional anatomic features. The surgical results are reported.

Methods: Among approximately 400 patients who underwent anterior cervical microforaminotomy at the University of Pittsburgh between March 1993 and May 1999, 104 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study.