Anterior cervical osteotomy: operative technique.

PURPOSE: Correction of rigid cervical deformities often requires osteotomies to realign the spine. Cervical pedicle subtraction osteotomy can be technically challenging due to the presence of cervical nerve roots and usually can only be performed at C7 or T1 due to the presence of vertebral arteries. In contrast, anterior cervical osteotomy can be performed throughout the cervical spine and is a safe and effective method for correction of both sagittal and coronal cervical deformities. We describe the anterior cervical osteotomy technique with a review of the pertinent literature.

METHODS: A step-by-step technical guide for anterior cervical osteotomy is provided with a focus on surgical nuances and complication avoidance. Two illustrative cases of fixed sagittal and coronal deformities are included to demonstrate the substantial amount of deformity correction achievable using the anterior cervical osteotomy technique.

RESULTS: Both patients in the illustrative cases had successful clinical and radiographic outcome following deformity correction utilizing the anterior cervical osteotomy technique.

CONCLUSION: Anterior cervical osteotomy is a safe and effective technique for correction of rigid cervical deformities. Spine surgeons should be familiar with this technique to optimize clinical outcome in patients undergoing cervical deformity correction.