Subaxial Cervical Spondylectomy

Abstract

Radical resection of a vertebra is reserved only for specific tumors that invade the surrounding tissues and recur when not removed completely. The vertebra may be removed using a piecemeal technique or en bloc, using only two (in thoracolumbar spine) or more osteotomies (in cervical spine). Techniques of complete en bloc removal of a vertebra from a combined or a single posterior approach in the region of thoracolumbar spine have been repeatedly described in the literature. However, in the cervical spine, only a few case studies of partial en bloc resection and one case of total en bloc resection of the subaxial cervical vertebra were reported. En bloc resection in the subaxial cervical region may be performed with sacrificing of the unilateral vertebral artery and nerve roots or with their preservation. We present our technique of en bloc resection of subaxial cervical vertebra for Ewing’s sarcoma of C3, with preservation of all nerve roots and both vertebral arteries.