CORPECTOMY -

ANTERIOR DECOMPRESSION OF THE CERVICAL CANAL​

Corpectomy is a procedure in which the vertebral body and disc is removed. This may involve removal of one or several vertebral bodies which are compressing the spinal cord. Most commonly this is performed in the cervical spine (cervical corpectomy) for conditions like cervical spondylotic myelopathy from hard disc / osteophytes / Ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). This may also be necessary in cases of vertebral body tumors or infections like Tb and more commonly for cervical spinal injuries. The same procedure may be necessary in the thoracic or lumbar spine in spinal injuries, tumor or infections like TB.

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CASE STUDY 1

A 55 years old male was admitted with history of trauma to the neck after a fall. He suffered right sided numbness and weakness since then. His MRI revealed C4-C5 cord compression from segmental OPLL.

PROCEDURE - C5 corpectomy, C4-C5 and C5-C6 discectomy and fusion and stabilization using cage and plate.

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                                                           Pre-op MRI images showing the cord compression.

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                                                           Post op x-ray showing the cage and plate following

                                                           decompression

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CASE STUDY 2  

A 51 yrs old lady is a case of follicular carcinoma thyroid with metastasis. She complained of progressive weakness of both the lower limbs with pain in the back. She was diagnosed to have D11 epidural compression and was admitted for surgical decompression. 

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                                                               X-ray showing a thoracic cage following corpectomy and pedicle

                                                               screws stabilization following vertebral metastasis excision

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