Abstract:

Objective　To study the clinical efficacy of surgical treatment for single-level cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.　Methods　Thirty-four patients with single-level cervical spondylotic radiculopathy, including twenty-six males and eight females with average age of thirty-six years old ( 22 to 58 years), and ten of them with muscular atrophy and strength decrease of upper limb, received surgical treatment. Duration between onset of radicular pain and the surgery were two days to six months (mean 2.6 months). Single-level of cervical intervertebral disc herniation was determined by MR scan in all patients. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) was carried out in 26 cases, and non-fusion procedures including cervical artificial disc replacement or posterior key-hole decompression in other eight cases.　Results　All patients were followed up about one to four years, with obvious decrease of radicular pain and numb after surgery. Post-operational VAS improved from 8.5±1.2 to 3.1±0.5. Seven of ten cases with muscular atrophy and strength decrease recovered and other three cases partly recovered. All patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgical treatment.　Conclusions　Non-fusion procedures show a favorable prospective over ADCF in surgical treatment for single-level cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

Key words:  Cervical vertebrae, Spondylotic radiculopathy, Surgical treatment