Full-Endoscopic Transcervical Ventral Decompression for Pathologies of Craniovertebral Junction: Case Series

• Main Authors: Yukoh Ohara, Yasuhiro Nakajima, Takaoki Kimura, Nahoko Kikuchi, Takao Sagiuchi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society 2020-07-01
• Series: Neurospine
• Subjects: craniovertebral junction; atlantoaxial dislocation; full-endoscopic transcervical decompression
• Online Access: http://www.e-neurospine.org/upload/pdf/ns-2040172-086.pdf

Odontoidectomy is very effective for the decompression of the ventral craniovertebral junction (CVJ). Various approaches are available for the direct ventral decompression of the CVJ. Because there are many disadvantages of open transoral approach, endoscopic odontoidectomy was developed. There are 3 approaches in endoscopic odontoidectomy. We report transcervical retropharyngeal endoscopic approach for the ventral CVJ in this paper. Three patients with different pathologies received operations using this approach. The decompression was enough and surgical invasion was less in all patients. Each endoscopic approach has some advantages and different working regions due to their approach trajectories, but transcervical retropharyngeal approach is very familiar for our neurospinal surgeons and has a relatively large working area. This approach might have the chance to take the place of open transoral approach for endoscopic spinal surgeons.