Repair of Vertebral Artery Injury During Anterior Cervical Decompression

Department

neurosurgery

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Methods, Vertebral artery Injury is a rarely described complication of anterior cervical decompression. The authors performed a retrospective review of their operative database for the purposes of defining the optimal management of this complication and its avoidance. Results, Four of 1,215 (0,3%) patients undergoing anterior cervical operation sustained arterial injuries. In three eases, primary repair of the artery was successful in One case the artery was exposed and ligated, There were no postoperative ischemic Artery laceration occurred during decompression (n = 2), screw tapping (n = 1) and during soft tissue retraction (n = 1). Conclusions. Injury to the vertebra artery during anterior approaches can be avoided by preoperative identification of anomalous arteries and by intra operative attention to the midline. When the artery is injured, primary repair may be the optimal management strategy. © 1994, J. B. Lippincott Company.

Publication Date

1994

Publication Title

Spine

ISSN

0362-2436

Volume

19

Issue

22

First Page

2552

Last Page

2556

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1097/00007632-199411001-00010

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