Impact of preoperative neurological status on perioperative morbidity associated with anterior and posterior cervical fusion

Abstract

This nationwide study clarifies the frequency and associations of inpatient complications encountered when treating cervical spine disease. Whereas immediate complications due to anterior approaches are limited, patients with myelopathy who undergo a posterior approach have a more sobering outlook. This study shows that clinical myelopathy augments rates of complication during cervical fusion, regardless of the approach. The exclusion of pathoanatomical data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, of key importance in guiding the surgical approach, prevents any conclusions being drawn about the merits and disadvantages of anterior versus posterior surgery.