Four-year results of a prospective single-arm study on 200 semi-constrained total cervical disc prostheses: clinical and radiographic outcome.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have described encouraging outcomes after cervical total disc replacement (cTDR), but there are also critical debates regarding the long-term effects of heterotopic ossification (HO) and the prevalence of adjacent-level degeneration. The aim in this paper was to provide 4-year clinical and radiographic outcome results on the activ C disc prosthesis. METHODS A total of 200 subjects underwent single-level activ C (Aesculap AG) implantation between C-3 and C-7 for the treatment of symptomatic degenerative disc disease.

Incidence of vascular complications arising from anterior spinal surgery in the thoraco-lumbar spine.

Study Design: Modern biomaterials and instrumentation have popularised surgery of the thoraco-lumbar spine through an anterior route. The advantage of anterior surgery is that it allows for a direct decompression of the compromised spinal canal. However, the potential for devastating long-term sequelae as a result of complications is high.

Total spondylectomy of C2: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Study Design: A report on 3 patients undergoing total spondylectomy of the C2 vertebra for tumor and the technique for C1-3 reconstruction.

Objective: To illustrate the feasibility of complete resection of the C2 vertebra with preservation of the vertebral arteries and cervical nerve roots.

Background: Total spondylectomy provides improved progression free survival in many patients with locally aggressive spinal tumors.

Atlantoaxial fixation using the polyaxial screw-rod system.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the first results of the atlantoaxial fixation using polyaxial screw-rod system. Twenty-eight patients followed-up 12-29 months (average 17.1 months) were included in this study.