Turkish Neurosurgery
Total en bloc spondylectomy of C7 vertebra for the primary bone tumors: The efficacy of autologous sternal structural graft
Younggyu Oh1, Ju Hee Jeon1, Jin Hoon Park1
1Asan Medical Center, Neurological Surgery, Seoul,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.38012-22.5

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of total en bloc spondylectomy with autologous sternal structural graft, subaxial pedicle screws, and 5.5 mm titanium rods in primary bone tumor surgery. METHODS From January 2019 to February 2020, two patients with lower cervical spine (C7) primary bone tumor underwent total en bloc spondylectomy, interbody fusion with sternal structural autograft, and posterior instrumentation using subaxial pedicle screws. The medical records and radiographic findings of the patients were reviewed. RESULT C7 total en bloc spondylectomy was successfully performed; the anterior column was reconstructed with an autologous sternal structural graft with posterior instrumentation using subaxial pedicle screws and 5.5 mm titanium rods. After surgery, the VAS scores of neck and radiating arm pain in both patients were relieved considerably. Bony fusion was achieved in all patient by 6 months after surgery. There were no postoperative complications associated with the donor site. CONCLUSIONS Structural bone obtained from the sternum is safe and provides a viable alternative to cervical fusion for patients with primary bone tumor. It confers the advantages of autograft fusion without the complications associated with donor site morbidities.

Corresponding author : Jin Hoon Park