Criteria for Preferring Anterior Approach in Surgical Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Myeloradiculopathy

Cervical spondylosis is a progressive, chronic and insidious degenerative disease, which origins from the cervical intervertebral disc and then diffuses to surrounding bony and soft tissues. If the spine and nerve roots are involved due to degenerative changes, this is called as cervical spondylotic myeloradiculopathy (CSMR) and it is the most frequent cause of myelopathy over age of 50. Cases with progressive character and functional neurological deficits and cases with a prolonged course refractory to conservative therapy shall be treated surgically. The aim of the surgical treatment is to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, to preserve the proper anatomical alignment of the cervical vertebrae or to reestablish correct anatomical positioning if it is distorted and lastly to increase the life quality by relieving patients neurological signs and complaints. While achieving these goals, complications shall be avoided as much as possible. These goals can be accomplished by anterior or posterior surgical approaches to the cervical vertebrae. The style of the surgical approach can only be decided by a detailed evaluation of the patient's clinical and radiological features. The utmost aim of the surgical procedure, which is to achieve sufficient neurological decompression and to preserve/establish proper cervical vertebral alignment, can be provided best by anterior approaches. In our current study, the criteria to prefer anterior approach in surgical treatment of CSMR will be reviewed.