RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Radiographic Measures of Spinal Alignment Are Not Predictive of the Development of C5 Palsy Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Surgery
JF International Journal of Spine Surgery
JO Int J Spine Surg
FD International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery
SP 8029
DO 10.14444/8029
A1 Andrew M. Sinensky
A1 Ian D. Kaye
A1 William T. Li
A1 Scott C. Wagner
A1 Joseph S. Butler
A1 Arjun S. Sebastian
A1 Patrick B. Morrissey
A1 Gregory D. Schroeder
A1 Christopher Kepler
A1 Alexander R. Vaccaro
A1 Alan S. Hilibrand
YR 2021
UL https://www.ijssurgery.com/content/early/2021/03/30/8029.abstract
AB Background Postoperative C5 palsy is a common complication following cervical decompression, occurring more frequently after posterior-based procedures. It has been theorized that this is the result of C5 nerve stretch resulting from spinal cord drift with these procedures. As such, it is thought to be less common after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF). However, no consensus has been reached on its true etiology. The purpose of this study is to assess the rate of C5 palsy following ACDF and to determine whether any radiographic or demographic parameters were predictive of its development.Methods Two hundred and twenty-six patients who received ACDF between September 2015 and September 2016 were reviewed, and 122 were included in the final analysis. Patient demographic, surgical, and radiographic data were analyzed, including preoperative and postoperative radiographic and motor examination results. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare continuous variables between independent groups, and Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical variables between groups.Results Seven patients developed a C5 palsy in the postoperative period, an incidence rate of 5.7%. Among the radiographic parameters evaluated, there were no statistically significant differences between the C5 palsy and nonpalsy groups. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences in age, patient sex, or numbers of vertebral levels fused between groups.Conclusions Ultimately, we did not identify any statistically significant demographic or radiographic predictive factors for the development of C5 palsy following ACDF surgery.Level of Evidence 3.