[An observation on risk of infection in treatment of craniovertebral junction disorders by transoral approach operation].

Objective: To study the changes of bacterial flora after a series of preoperative oral disinfection and the postoperative recovery of patients with craniovertebral junction disorders who were treated with transoral approach operations. And to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of postoperative complications such as infection.

Methods: The clinical data of 20 cases with craniovertebral junction disorders and treated with transoral approach operations between October 2009 and May 2010 were analyzed. There were 8 males and 12 females, aged 2-66 years (median, 34.5 years). According to the classification of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)，there were 4 cases of grade B, 8 of grade C, 6 of grade D, and 2 of grade E. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score was 10.3±3.0. The mucosa samples of the posterior pharyngeal wall were sent for bacteria culture. These samples were collected by sterile cotton swabs at four crucial points including 3 days before operation/before gargling (T1), 3 days after continuous gargling by chlorhexidine acetate/after anesthesia intubation on the day of operation (T2), after intraoperative cleaning and washing of the mouth (T3), and after intraoperative iodophor immersion for 5-10 minutes (T4). The microflora was stained by means of smear and further counted after an investigation by microscope. The ASIA classification and the JOA scores were applied to evaluate the postoperative nerve function of the patients. A regular reexamination of cervical vertebra with X-ray film, CT, and MRI was conducted after operation to evaluate the reduction of atlantoaxial dislocation, internal fixation position, bone graft fusion, inflammatory lesion, and tumor resection in the craniovertebral junction.

Results: After a series of oral disinfection, the mucosa of the posterior pharyngeal wall of all the patients was in a sterile state, which was considered as type Ⅰ incision. All these 20 patients were treated with successful operations, without any intraoperative injury in vertebral artery and spinal cord, or any postoperative complications such as plate loosening, incision infection, or intracranial infection. All the patients were followed up 3-23 months, with an average of 5.15 months. The symptoms such as neck pain, limb numbness and weakness, neural symptoms, were improved to different degrees after operation. The JOA score was improved to 13.4±1.9 at 3 months after operation, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative score ( =8.677, =0.000); and the atlantoaxial joints had been fused. At last follow-up, the ASIA grades were improved when compared with those before operation.

Conclusion: It is safe and effective to cut the posterior pharyngeal muscle layer and implant internal fixation by means of transoral approach in the treatment of craniovertebral junction disorders.