頸椎椎間板障害例に対する頸椎前方除圧術の新しい試み:頸椎前方除圧後の自家椎体，椎間板unitの移植術

New surgical technique of anterior decompression for cervical disc disease:vertebral column autograft with the intervertebral disc after anterior cervical decompression

I．はじめに

　頸椎椎間板障害例に対する頸椎前方固定術は1950年代より行われ，広く普及している手術法である^4,7,14）が，本法の問題点としては，術後，固定隣接椎間に負荷が加わり，時に，術後改善した症状が再び悪化し，再手術が施行されることが指摘されている^9,11,16）．われわれは，上記問題点を解決することを目的として，手術椎間レベルの可動性を温存させる手術法を開発した．本報告では，われわれが行っている手術法を詳細に述べる予定である．

The authors describe the surgical technique of ver-tebral column autograft with the intervertebral disc af-ter anterior decompression for cervical disc disease. This series consisted of 41 patients with cervical disc disease suffering from cervical spondylotic radiculomy-elopathy. There were 27 men and 14 women, ranging in age from 27 to 72 years (mean age 49 years). 33 pa-tients were operated on at one level and 8 patients at two levels. The average postoperative follow-up period was one year 10 months and ranged from 6 months to 3 years 3 months. The patients were generally allowed out of bed wearing a soft collar within 1 day postoper-atively. The collar was used for 2 months after surgery. The postoperative course of all patients was uneventful and neurological symptoms improved. Postoperative X-ray films showed some movement in the operated disc level in all patients. The authors think that this surgical procedure may be suitable for preserving mobility of the spine.