Surgical treatment for cervical disk herniation combined with hypertrophy of the posterior longitudinal ligament

Objective:In order to gain better outcome,the surgical treatment for patients with cervical disk herniation combined with hypertrophy of the posterior longitudinal ligament were discussed.Method:Eighty three cases of cervical disk herniation patients combined with hypertrophy of the posterior longitudinal ligament underwent anterior operation were analysed in this study.These patients account for 22 07% in all the 376 patients with cervical disk herniation.The article emphasized on discussing how to select surgical indication,especially how to evaluate the indication to resect the posterior longitudinal ligament in operation,the skill and matters needing pay attention to in the operation.Result:91 57% cases had exellent outcome by 3～59 months(mean,20 6) follow up.It was confirmed that hyperplasia,hypertrophy and fibrosis occured to the resected posterior longitudinal ligament by pathological examination.Conclusion:The patients with typical cervical disk herniation should be treated with anterior approach and those who also combined with hypertrophy of the posterior longitudinal ligament should be resected at the same time in order to relieve the compression on cervical spinal cord completely,so that the effect tend to be perfect.