Anterior fibular strut graft in neoplastic disease of the cervical spine

Abstract

An anterior operative procedure using a strut of fibular graft material was performed either alone or in combination with a posterior stabilization in 5 patients with cervical spine instability secondary to neoplastic disease. Osseous tumor was present in 4 of the 5 patients (osteoblastoma, metastatic adrenal carcinoma, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, multiple myeloma) and the 5th had spine instability as a result of a posterior decompression for cervical spinal cord glioma. The anterior approach using fibula to replace diseased vertebrae and provide axial support for the neck was a valuable therapeutic modality in this group of patients, all of whom had a limited life expectancy. Cervical spine stability obtained by operative intervention led to a reduction of neck pain and maintenance of ambulation until the neoplastic condition became terminal.