Outcomes after surgery for cervical spine deformity: Review of the literature

Object: Symptomatic cervical kyphosis can result from a variety of causes. Symptoms can include pain, neurological deficits, and functional limitation due to loss of horizontal gaze. Methods: The authors review the long-term functional and radiographic outcomes following surgery for symptomatic cervical kyphosis by performing a PubMed database literature search. Results: Fourteen retrospective studies involving a total of 399 patients were identified. Surgical intervention included ventral, dorsal, or circumferential approaches. Analysis of the degree of deformity correction and functional parameters demonstrated significant postsurgical improvement. Overall, patient satisfaction appeared high. Five studies reported mortality with rates ranging from 3.1 to 6.7%. Major medical complications after surgery were reported in 5 studies with rates ranging from 3.1 to 44.4%. The overall neurological complication rate was 13.5%. Conclusions: Although complications are not insignificant, surgery appears to be an effective option when conservative measures fail to provide relief.