Degenerative disc disease describes pain associated with the natural deterioration of the cushioning spinal discs that happens over time. Though everyone experiences reduced performance of these discs, not everyone suffers from chronic pain.
A Novel Approach to Revision of Anterior Cervical Instrumentation
Following a motor vehicle accident, a man in his 40s presented with bilateral facet fractures. He had undergone an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) nearly a decade earlier.
An MRI showed that his spinal cord was being stretched; flexion and extension X-rays revealed instability. This was causing a loss of function in his arms and legs. A candidate for surgical treatment, his operation consisted of an ACDF using the innovative, less invasive, ALTATM half-plate hybrid system without removing the old plate. The hybrid design enabled the placement of two screws in the superior vertebra, since a screw could not be placed inferiorly due to his prior surgery. Four weeks post—op, the patient is doing very well, with symptom resolution and no problems with voice or dysphagia.
Full text of this article can be found on p. 4-5 of the Fall 2014 issue of Winthrop University Hospital's Progressive Neuroscience.
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